USHGA Hang Gliding July 1982

I

JULY IN2 $2.00

EDITOR. Gil Dodgen ASSOC IA TE EDITOR LAYOUT & DESIGN Janie Dodgen STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Leroy Grannis.

Bettina Gray, Stephen Mccarroll ILLUSTRATORS: Harry Martin, Rod Stafford

OFFICE STAFF MANAGER: Carol Velderrain Cathy Coleman (Advertising) Amy Provin (Ratings) Linda Stahlberg (Membership) Terri Jo Nelson (Acct. Rec.) USHGA OFFICERS: PRESIDENT: Vic Powell VICE PRESIDENT: Doug Hildreth SECRETARY: Elizabeth Sharp TREASURER: Ken Koerwitz EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: Vic Powell Doug Hildreth David Broyles

ISSUE NO. 114

Hang Gliding CONTENTS FEATURES

20

FLYING IN NEW MEXICO

Sandia Ain't All We Got!

24

MID·AIR

28

THE SO CAL LEAGUE MEET

USHGA REGIONAL DIRECTORS REGION 1: Doug Hildreth. REGION 2: George Whitehill. Pat Devevan. REGION 3: Rob Kells, Steve Hawxhurst. REGION 4: Lucky Campbell, Ken Koerwitz. REGION 5: Mike King.

REGION 6: Ted Gilmore. REGION 7: David Anderson, Henry Braddock. REGION 8: Charles La\/ersa. REGION 9: Les King, Richard Newton. REGION 10: Richard Heckman, Scott Lambert. REGION 11: David Broyles.

REGION 12: Paul Riker!, Steve Ostertag. EXOFFICIO DIRECTOR: Everett Langworthy HONORARY DIRECTORS: Bill Bennett, John Harris, John Lake, Hugh Morton. DIRECTORSAt-LARGE: Jan Case, Keith Nichols. Dennis Pagen, Vic Powell, Elizabeth Sharp.

The United States Hang Gliding Association Inc,, is a division of the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) which Is the official U.S. representative of the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FA!), the world governing body for sport aviation. The NAA, which represents the U.S. at FAI meetings, has delegated to the USHGA supervision of FAlrelated hang gliding activities such as record attempts and competition sanctions.

JULY 1982

by Amado Summers

article, graphics and interview with Willy Dommen and Pat Denevan.

by Terry Ferrer

by Erik Fair photos by Pete Brock

32

FLYING THE MITCHELL WING

Or, Whatever Became Of The Rigid Wing Hang Glider?

by George Worthington 36

THE CHRISTIAN CARE CUP

40

THE FLOAT

43

A CASE OF COLD DUCK

HANG GLIDING magazine is published for hang gliding sport enthusiasts to create further interest in the sport, by a means of open communication and to advance hong gliding methods and safety. Cor1-

Article and photos by Bob Thompson

by Bonnie Nelson photos by Jim Gazdzik

by Bruce Case

tributions ore welcome. Anyone is invited to con-

tribute articles, photos, and illustrations concerning hang gliding activities. If the matertol is to be returned, a stamped, self-addressed return envelope must be enclosed. Notification must be made of submission lo other hang gliding publications. HANG GLIDING magazine reserves the right to edit contributions where necessary. The Association and

publication do not assume responsibility for the material or opinions of contributors.

HANG GLIDING magozine is published monthly by the United States Hang Gliding Association, Inc whose mailing address is P.O. Box 66306, Los Angeles, Calif. 90066 and whose offices are localed at 11423 Washington Blvd, Los Angeles, Calif. 90066; telephone (213) 390-3065. Secondclass postage is paid at Los Angeles, Calif. HANG GLIDING magazine is printed by Penn Lilho, Cerritos, Calif. The typesetting is provided by ls/ Impression Tvpesetting Service, Buena Park, Calif. Color separations by Scanner House of Studio City, Calif The USHGA is a member-controlled educational and scientific organization dedicated to exploring all facets of ultralight flight. Membership is open to anyone interested in this realm of flight. Dues for full membership are $29.50 per year ($32.50 for foreign addresses): subscription rates are $22.50 for one year, $4000 for two years, $57.50 for three years.

Changes of address should be sent six weeks in advance. including name, USHGA membership number, previous and new address, and a mailing label from a recent issue

DEPARTMENTS 4 4 6 9 12 13 13 15 16 19 30 47 50

ULTRALIGHT CONVERSATION INDEX TO ADVERTISERS CARTOON by Bob Lafay THE RIGHT STUFF by Erik Fair PRESIDENT'S PAGE by Vic Powell MOVIE REVIEW by Mike Meier MILESTONES USHGA REPORTS by Keith Nichols NEWS AND NEW PRODUCTS CALENDAR NEWLY ACQUIRED USHGA RA TINGS AND APPOINTMENTS CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING STOLEN WINGS

COVER: Hang Gliding West. Water color by Dennis Pagen CONSUMER ADVISORY: Hang Gliding Magazine and USHGA, Inc, do not endorse or take any responsibility for the products advertised or mentioned editorially within these pages. Unless specifically explained, performance figures quoted in advertising are only estimates. Persons considering the purchase of a glider ore urged to study HGMA standards.

Copyright c, United States Hang Gliding Association, Inc. 1978. All rights reserved to Hang Gliding Magazine and individual contributors.

\ILTRAll<if1T

CONVEKJAT10N A New Concept

classes. Certainly, one idea worth exploring is that one class be limited to ships having no fairing around the pilot's body, because, as of today, that is a basic part of the criteria of the ultralight. To have a completely closed cockpit would seem to defeat the whole idea. Maybe we can leave it to the sailplane contingent to inaugurate contests with very light self-launch sailplanes.

So there it is. You have plenty of time to think about it and get in on the fun.

Dear Editor, Something brand-new and wonderful is about to happen. An announcement has been made that on September I 0, 11, and 12, 1982 there will be a soaring contest for ultralights, that's right, the world's first cross-country soaring contest for ultralights will take place in Bishop, California.

It is easy to picture the first reaction of most ultralight owners. Engine-off soaring? My ship won't do it. Interestingly enough, all of them will soar cross-country if the thermal lift conditions are strong enough. But some will obviously do much better than others. Cantilever will seem like a newly discovered important word. Struts will normally triumph over wires for wing bracing. Pilot-fairing will assume new importance, as will aspect ratio.

There will also be thought given to dead-stick rough-ground landing capabilities, and to airborne-engine-restart capability.

Why turn off a perfectly good engine in the air and rely on the sun power of thermals? In a few words - fun, challenge, excitement!

Man's discovery of new ground machines and new air machines has always led to contests.

Inevitably, a spin-off of ultralight flying will be ultralight motorized soaring machines. Of course, it will take time, just as it took time to develop today's beautiful ultralight machines with their very impressive performance from the first foot-launched motorized hang gliders.

And using an ultralight for soaring won't be for everybody. Maybe only a special few will discover the thrills and fun to be found in soaring.

And now the first coordinated organized effort is about to take place. Don Partridge and Tom Kreyche who organize and produce the world's finest cross-country hang gliding contests will inaugurate the ultralight contest.

The actual rules and procedures have not yet been settled, but it's a safe guess that they will have a fuel limitation so that the ships will be forced to soar, in order to reach each of the chosen task turnpoints. Probably, the pilots can use the fuel in any manner desired, such as restarting several times in the air to keep from going down. And most likely the distances between turn points will be designed so that at least half of the ships will be able to complete the task. Decisions will have to be made of whether to have just one class or several

4

George D. Worthington San Diego, CA

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS Ball Varlometers .................................................................. 19 Bennett Delta Wing Gliders............................................ 7 Embury .................................................................................... 52 Flight Designs ................................................................ 14, 23 Glider Rider ........................................................................... 45

Blown Launch

Hall Brothers ........................................................................... 18

Dear Editor,

Hang Gliding Press ............................................................. 27

In response to Burr Smith's ninth (whew!) question in his letter in the May issue "Is there life after a blown launch at Toll House" - does he mean Toll House California? If he does, the answer is yes!

It was about three weeks ago on a Saturday that I was performing my usual driver/photographer function at the upper launch. One of the local pilots, well-versed in the winds and ways of the mountain, got a wing up on his launch, caught his right tip, and went careening into the rock face. Fortunately, the glider stuck (it would have been an uncomfortable slide down) and though the glider suffered snapped nose wires, torn sail and broken control bar, the pilot was completely uninjured.

Except for his pride, of course.

The saddest thing to me is that it was the same kind of blown launch you can see on any trainer hill any weekend. God knows I've blown enough myself in the painful learning process! Guess it just goes to show you, you can never be too sure - of the wind, the mountain, the glider, or yourself. I'm glad I was there to see it, in a way. It'll certainly encourage me to keep it steady when I make it up there.

Hurst .......................................................................................... 18 Leaf .................................................................................... 49, 52 Lookout Mt ............................................................................. 31 Moyes ...................................................................................... 45 Owens Valley HG Center ................................................ 27 Pagen Books ......................................................................... 19 Para Publishing .................................................................... 15 Pro Air ................................................................................ 38, 39 Rotec ........................................................................................ 52 Seedwlngs ............................................................................. 5 Snyder Ent.............................................................................. 27 Systek ....................................................................................... 49 Ultrallte Products ................................................................. 5 J USHGA ......................................................... 35, 41, 47, 49, 42 Wasatch Wings .................................................................... 47 Whole Air Magazine .......................................................... 45 WIiis Wing, Inc ............................................................... 1, 2, 11

Ute Cheuvront Fresno, CA

Heard On The Hill

AD DEADLINES

Dear Editor, Reference Burr Smith's letter about a news and gossip column - Right On! Just what the magazine needs. And I know the man to write such a column - Burr himself.

You've read his letters to the editor and are familiar with his style. He is knowledgeable, articulate and insightful. I nominate Burr Smith for a "Heard On The Hill" column.

All ad copy, instructions, changes, additions and cancellations must be received in writing 11/2 months preceding the cover date, i.e. Mar. 20 for the May issue.

Les King HANG GLIDING

Sandia Mountain Regulations Dear Editor, Pilots planning to visit and fly either of the two Sandia Mountain launch sites this season should be aware of the following: The Sandia Crest launch, accessible by car, is a USHGA Advanced (Hang 4) rated site.

Helmet, parachute, and current USHGA Hang 4 or better are required. A pilot's first ten flights from the site must be in the company of a crest guide pilot. A visiting pilot should be prepared to show the guide pilot his/her log book.

The Sandia Peak launch is a USHGA Advanced (Hang 4) rated site. The only access to the park launch is via the Sandia Peak Tram.

A visiting pilot must be accompanied by a peak guide pilot (for at least first ten flights) and present his/her current USHGA Hang 4 card, helmet, and parachute before he/she will be allowed to purchase a ticket and load a glider on the tram. Again be prepared to show your log book.

The continued use of both sites is somewhat tenuous. The continual demonstration of safe flying and courtesy towards other users of the mountains is necessary to keep the sites open.

A brochure entitled "Soaring the Sandia Mountains" has been assembled which describes site access, set-up and launch locations, landing and non-landing areas, weather and flying conditions, regulations, costs, and emerg~ncy procedures. The brochure also provides a local hang gliding service directory and a list of local pilots with their phone numbers. Crest and peak guide pilots are indicated on this list. The brochure is available at (not through the mail) the Sandia District Ranger Station (east of Albuquerque on route to the Crest), the lower tram terminal ticket office (base of the mountains), and Buffalo Skyriders in the Coronado Airport (I-25 and Tramway Road north of Albuquerque). The brochure is available through the mail from the Sandia Soaring Association. Send $1.00 and a self-addressed envelope to:

SLC who had been approached with a "great deal" on a glider and gear. They were wise enough to check in Hang Gliding to see if it was stolen. Fortunately they were able to get only an old issue and felt the descriptions were close enough to follow up. To sum up - my glider, harness, helmet, parachute and harness and helmet of another pilot were recovered and returned to me. The individuals who helped were thanked personally but I wanted Hang Gliding to also get a little credit. "Stolen Wings" works!

Diaun Ferris Whitefish, MT

Suspension Systems Dear Editor, This letter is meant to address a few of the questions Frederick Stoll raised concerning support systems in the May, 1982 issue of Hang Gliding. The letter mentioned an inflight failure of a carabiner and went on to question the integrity of hang straps, harness straps, parachute leaders, etc.

First, let me say that your point is well taken, Fred. At this summer's USHGA meeting I'm sure we'll work on supplying the flying public with the type of information you request. I have long felt that this has been a weak point in our safety standards. Only recently have glider manufacturers started supplying hang loops with their craft. I for one find this still insufficient for the only harness these loops fit are those the manufacturer sells. This results in pilots putting knots(!) in their hang loops or hooking two loops together. In the past I have tried (as have others) to remedy the lack of standards by writing articles (sec Wha1's Yaur Hang Up Jan. 1977 HG and the October 1980 installment of Wing/ ips in Glider Ride1).

For now, lest many readers fly in fear of separating from their glider, let me say a few words on carabiners and hang loops. Most of my information comes from climbing experience and the book High Tech110/agy by Steven Schneider. Carabiners are available in various strengths and shapes. I recommend the strongest which are D-shaped with a locking gate. The oval non-locking carabiner mentioned in Fred's letter was probably the weakest available (and cheapest). These 'biners

tT jl)ST SAYS;TANDEM

vJELL, WHA"T ?

DOES IT SAY. }-lURRY UP, e,EFORE MY OLE: LADY FINDS OUT/

IS TWO PEOPLE ON I ONE GLIDER''... PERIOD. IT D0t-.J'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT SIZ.E • SO IF you CAN MAKE iT TO jANIES' you' LL GE.T THE

TANDEM RECORD.

Sandia Soaring Association P.O. Box 194 Cedar Crest, NM 87008

Thank You Dear Editor, In July of 1979 my glider and all my gear was stolen in Salt Lake City, where I lived at that time. I immediately ordered a new glider and placed an ad in "Stolen Wings."

Two years later, after my ad was no longer listed and I had since moved to Montana, I received a letter from two beginner students in 6

HANG GLIDING

from

DEL TA WING

2 WAY F.M. RADIOS • Ultra light weight • Hands free voice activated • Windscreen protected boom mike • No operators license required • 9 volt battery powered • Headset mounted whip antenna for maximum range • Audio and mike sensitivity controls • F.M. transceiver measures %" x 2V2" X 4" • Ideal for hang gliding schools and cross country teamwork

FLIGHT DECK Build your own • 17 oz. including hardware • Flip up mount for landing • Quick pit pin removal from bracket • Aerodynamic shape I low drag • Vacuum molded rugged A.B.S. plastic • Layout grid plan of front panel • Design a system for your kind of flying P.O. BOX 483 • VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA 91408 • PHONE (213) 785-2474 / 787-6600

usually fail by deforming and having the gate pop open (incidentally, you can spring a carabiner open with your hands - this is not a sign of weakness). Search around at your local climbing stores and you can find 'biners rated up to 2,800 Kg. (6,160 lbs.) which is more than adequate. The strength rating is usually stamped on the side in Kilograms (2.2 lbs. per Kg.).

If your carabiner receives a sharp rap discard it. This can crystalize and weaken the metal. Likewise, replace a scratched 'biner for scratches can concentrate stresses. When flying with a parachute always use a locking carabiner, even over water or trees to prevent the 'chute leader from pulling out. A well oiled locking gate will open with the flick of a thumb so that landing in a dire situation shouldn't require much more time than unhooking with a non-locking carabiner.

Some pilots use two carabiners for added safety. This is fine if you fly where no water or trees abound. It is very difficult to unhook two 'biners in an emergency situation, especially when they .are both locking. A better arrangement is to have one 'biner on the main and one on the looser secondary so that at least one 'biner is slack and can be unhooked easier. My personal preference is to use one highly rated, locking gate, D-shaped carabiner.

Concerning hang loops, most are sewn from I inch tubular webbing rated at 4,000 lbs. static tensile strength. The weak point here is the sewn intersection. Large gauge thread, a box type or running W stitch and at least a 4 inch overlap is necessary for proper strength.

One of the main problems with (most) webbing loops is that they don't adjust. This induces pilots to tie knots, wed loops or twist around the carabiner to lengthen or shorten the loops. I would be wary of flying with such a set up.

My preference is a 9 mm (or larger) kernmantle rope selling for 75ft a foot at climbing or outdoor stores. This can be tied to any length using a double grapevine knot (this is shown in the new edition of Hang Gliding Flying Skills). The rope is rated at about 4,000 lbs. (9 mm), 4,500 lbs (10 mm) and 5,000 lbs.

(11 mm). The kernmantle construction provides a layer of protection from abrasion and is very shock absorbant (more so than webbing).

My backup loop is of similar construction about 112 inch longer.

Incidentally, a single loop over a keel is just as strong as a loop passed through itself since in either case, failure will occur at the carabiner.

As a final point, I only fly a harness that has a continuous loop or webbing reinforced waistband connected to the main. The thin cordura or para-pack from which most harnesses are constructed will probably not stand up to a free-fall parachute deployment.

One final point: run your parachute leader up

8

the side of your body that you will throw your chute. This will prevent a severe jerk to the midriff in the event of a deployment. Check out your entire suspension system and upgrade any dubious components.

Dennis Pagen State College, PA

Pulling The Pin Dear Editor,

awarded in accordance with the present system and the U.S. Champion should not be named until all sanctioned meets for the calendar year have been completed. This is a much fairer method in choosing our national champion and that pilot would need to do consistently well in three sanctioned meets.

Presently I am both the 1981 point system leader (of which I am very proud) and also the 1981 U.S. National Champion which unfortunately was acquired as a result of a six round meet.

Recently we have seen several articles on the dangers of being drawn into a cumulonimbus cloud. The suggestion has been made that if all other methods of descent fail, it may be necessary to unhook and free-fall to a lower level, then deploy one's parachute. I have an alternate suggestion.

On gliders with a cable-retained crossbar or a crossbar retained in place by a bolt, it may be possible to "pull the pin," causing the wings to fold in. Such a procedure would be possible, for instance, on the UP Comet (cable-retained, with push-pin), and UP Gemini and Wills Wing Harrier (bolt-retained). The procedure would be possible also on other gliders whose crossbars have a tendency to fold inward when the retention mechanism is removed.

"Pulling the pin" may drastically increase your sink rate and allow you to escape the clutches of a cumulonimbus cloud without having to resort to the terrifying prospect of free-falling away from your glider. And, you can stay with your glider, deploying your parachute as you near the ground. It's worth a try!

Rich Pfeiffer Santa Ana, CA

Rocket Wing MX -324

Stewart Midwinter Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Correction Dear Editor, I'd like to correct a small error which was in the June issue in the story entitled "Dune."

Mark Bennett, who took second place, is from Temecula, CA and not San Luis Obispo, as was stated in the article. Sorry Mark.

Randy Cobb Pismo Beach, CA

Point System Champion Dear Editor, Now that the USHGA competition points system is the most accurate measure of pilot skill it seems only natural that the U.S. National Hang Gliding Champion should be selected from that system. The name of the U.S. National Championships should be changed to simply the "U.S. Nationals."

Competition points for that meet should be

Dear Editor, Regarding the letter to the editor, May '82, from Mr. William F. Bennett, about the Northrop flying wings. He was interested in seeing the 1944 MX324 Military Rocket Wing in which the pilot flew prone. Enclosed is a drawing of the MX324 taken from Norrhrop Flying Wings by Edward T. Maloney, card number 74-25466, World War II Publications, Buena Park, Cal. 90620.

You can keep your teeth Mr. Bennett.

Jerry Noland Watsonville, CA

Hang Gliding welcomes letters to the editor. Contributions must be typed, double spaced and limited to a maximum of 400 words. All letters are subject to standard editing for clarity. Send contribution to: USHGA, P. 0. Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

HANG GLIDING

An instructional column for the new pilot.

by Erik Fair Everybody remembers his first high altitude flight. For sheer intensity, the sensations and feeling associated with the anticipation, consummation, and reminiscence of one's first altitude flight have got to rank right up there with those associated with the loss of one's virginity.

It's the kind of thing that, by definition, happens only once, and unless you're really weird you'll never be the same again.

To quickly shift to the infinitely safer military analogy the experience of first altitude flight is probably a lot like getting orders saying: "Ahem, the infantry no longer requires your services to jerk awkward 60 lb. triangular dacron, pole objects off wretched little hills in hot weather. You are commanded to report immediately to Never Never Land where you will be required to stand momentarily on a serene mountain at the very top of a new universe, bathe briefly in the cool, gentle breeze that will be there, and then emerge smoothly into an intimate, totally fulfilling (not to mention draining) relationship with the sky itself. Plus you don't have to carry the triangle, pole thing back up the mountain, soldier. Lt. Venus or Sgt. Adonis here will drive for you."

This month The Righr Stuff examines first altitude flights (FAFs): What constitutes a FAF? How does one prepare for it? What new issues do you face when you finally get to (how shall I say it?) "Get a little."

ference was that in one flight I had increased my previous maximum ground clearance by more than ten fold (from 75' to over 750'). It was a whole new ballgame because it was a whole new perspective and it seemed to take forever. All my previous FAF's were really big deals at the time but they all took place in pretty much the same environment - within 75' of the ground.

The point of all this blather about my personal learning experience is to provide some rationale for the following definition of first altitude flight:

taken a big step then because everything was a lot different than it had been before. (I wonder whatever happened to Ruthann.) I didn't know it at the time but the biggest dif-

I

The flight during which you can expect to achieve a maximum ground clearance that exceeds your previous maximum by a factor larger than any you'll ever experience. Usually it is also your longest flight by a wide margin.

~

'

I

i

i ,,,

What It Is My first FAF happened when I finally stopped pounding the nose of my glider into the training hill and rocketed 5' into the air (stopped saying ick at the sight of girls). My second FAF was when I overshot the lip of the upper training hill where I was supposed to land and found myself suspended 30' in mid air headed down the lower training hill (kissed Melinda Whatshername and ran for cover).

My third FAF occurred when I ran off a hill called the 500' which was really a 350' and maintained 75' ground clearance most of the way to the LZ (making out: first base through third base). My fourth FAF, which was really my first, no kidding, altitude flight was off a small mountain called the 1500'. I knew I'd JULY1982

9

If you live in a place that has a 50' training hill and a 500' hill suitable for novice pilots with nothing in between or beyond, your first flight from the 500' will be your FAF. If you live in a place that has hills suitable for novices ranging from 75' to 300' to 500' to 3,000', the 3,000' will be your FAF. The point is, for whatever area you train to fly in you must identify which site is going to represent "the big one" for you and plan accordingly.

How To Prepare For It Talk to girls if you're a boy, boys if you're a girl. Pass notes in class, flirt, kiss, grow hair in the right places. Get a deep voice or grow bumps in the right places depending on your gender. Give and receive hickies. Risk total humiliation occasionally. Give and receive hickies. Preparation is everything.

Hey! Get back here! The best way to prepare for your F AF is to have all beginner and novice level skills totally mastered before you even think of leaving the training hill.

Smooth, clean launches in moderate to light, to slightly crossed wind conditions should be nearly automatic. Landings should be consistently on your feet, wings level, into the wind, and within 100' of where you want to be. You should be able to judge general conditions and have a good working knowledge of micrometerology. Recognition and smooth manipulation of air speeds between minimum sink and slightly faster than best glide is mandatory. Mastery of immediate, appropriate corrective turns, purposeful S-turns, and linked 90° turns is a must. Also, you need to be well on your way to mastering 180° turns so that you can execute a reasonable Ian-

~

1

'

ding approach the first time you fly high.

Perhaps most important of all you should be confident enough in your ability to perform the above tasks that you are basically relaxed in the air. If you aren't sure you're likely to have an attack of excessively high anxiety on your FAF. Another important point is that you should know in advance where your FAF is going to

~~.---~-----==---=-:.-~-----

~1:\Wijimr~~~i~~ \

I ~>\ \

' '~

~?.:

'

- - -_--:----~ - - -

")

The Three A's Of FAFing

/

Anxiety: (Angst, highity)

-- -

~16$-T - --:...:.--:-. -:---·_.'- ·,;:,:---i: __ _

\ I 10

take place in case there are specific additional skills you must have to fly the site safely. For example, Eastern pilots generally have to develop very precise landing approaches at the training hill because LZs in the East are generally smaller and more obstructed than those in the West.

Again, preparation is everything. The reason this is so is that when you embark on "Mission FAF" you need to be able to focus a good portion of your attention on dealing with anxiety, airspeed, and approaches in ways you've never had to in your previous hang gliding experience. You only have so much attention to go around. If you're focusing attention on launch or landing deficiencies you won't have much left to give to the three A's of FAFing.

Anyone who tells you he was totally cool when it happened to him for the first time is lying. No matter how well prepared you are there is a cetain amount of anxiety involved in FAFing. I mean you may know you have the equipment and the skills to use it, but until you've actually done it you're not really sure you can.

As I've noted before, anxiety can be either constructive or debilitating. See Figure I for an illustration of the difference. If you haven't prepared well enough for your F AF and know HANG GLIDING

it odds are you will be either unable to focus on the new tasks at hand or you will be generally tense and therefore unable to execute smoothly. If you haven't prepared and don't know it odds are you'll quickly discover your weaknesses on launch, in mid air, or on approach. High anxiety, tension, poor execution, injury or death is a typical sequence in the worst cases. If you have prepared well enough and know it you can use your pre F AF anxiety to help you focus constructively on the new tasks at hand.

Airspeed: Usually FAFers tend to do it too fast and it's not because of eagerness either. F AFers are tempted to fly too fast because they are not used to the new environment which features gobs of ground clearance and, relatively speaking, gobs of time in the air. It's obvious why more time in a strange environment makes one anxious: More time spent cheating death!

More time to panic! Figure 2 illustrates why gobs of ground clearance tempt FAFers to fly faster than necessary.

Briefly, it's because most beginners, no matter how well they've been taught to judge airspeed by trim reference, sight, sound, feel, or airspeed indicators, tend to judge airspeed by ground reference. The higher you are at a given airspeed, the slower the ground seems to be going by. You give somebody 750' ground clearance when they're used to 75', and ask them to fly at trim speed they'll feel like they're standing still. I know I did. It makes you want to pull in to get that ground going by faster. The trick is not to succumb to that temptation. Focus on good old trim reference, sight, sound, and feel to get your AS where you want it. (Between slightly faster than minimum sink and best glide.)

I'll never forget one student of mine who was on the verge of but not quite ready for his FAF and I let him go anyway. He churns off the hill just fine, hauls the bar all the way in, and smokes on into the LZ overcontrolling like there was no tomorrow. (Flying extremely fast makes it very difficult to avoid over controlling.) So, I spend three lifetimes watching this guy make it safely to the LZ and drive down. He's standing next to his glider with a metal batten in his hand and he knows exactly what he did. He offers me the batten saying "You wanna beat me now or later?" I, of course deserved the beating for letting him FAF when he was less than totally prepared.

Approaches: Unprepared FAFers also tend to blow landing approaches. Sometimes even totally prepared FAFers will blow landing approaches.

Why? Because now it takes more than three or four turns to burn off enough altitude to put JULY1982

down close to where you want to be. Figure 3 shows a fairly typical figure 8 or linked 180's landing approach. The proper execution of this approach involves burning off all but final approach turn altitude at the downwind end of the LZ. Touchdown then occurs in the middle of the LZ. Typical improper execution of the approach involves allowing the linked 180's to get progressively further upwind in the LZ and progressively narrower. The pilot in this instance has put himself at the far end of the LZ with little room to land.

Avoid this problem by doing a thorough job of scouting the LZ and picking out turn reference points in the terrain. Obviously the more mastery you have of 180° turns the better off you'll be.

Summer Demo Daysi This summer Jim Shaw will be touring the nation with the best from Wills Wing for 1982. Demo flights on all three sizes of the new DUCK, exciting films, and informative tuning seminars are only part of the fun. Here is Jim's schedule thus far:

JUNE 1982

Summary 1. You will never forget your first altitude flight. If anyone asks you what it was like tell them it was like having sex for the first time only you were better prepared for the experience.

2. The best way to make your FAF a successful one is to be totally prepared for it. Have all Novice level skills mastered and be well on your way to mastering appropriate Intermediate level skills such as linked 180° turns. This will allow you to harness and use high anxiety in a constructive way.

3. Avoid the temptation to fly faster than necessary by focusing on true airspeed indicators such as trim reference, sight, sound, feel, and (if you must) instruments.

So what ifit seems like you're stuck in a vat of molassses. It just means you get to stay up longer.

4. Avoid sloppy (trapped in a corner) landing approaches by scouting the LZ, picking out turn reference points and working as much as possible on perfecting 180° turns.

5. Be absolutely sure to pick a proper site and proper conditions for your FAF. A proper site is one with a clear easy launch, an LZ that is easy to get to and put down in. Proper conditions are a light to moderate steady uphill breeze with minimal lift.

6. Thanks to Ken de Russy, Greg DeWolf, and Joe Greblo for their input to this article.

Next month: What you should get accomplished between your FAF and your first attempts to work lifting air. The free flight stage.

Please send questions or comments to: The Right Stuff c/o Hang Flight Systems 1202 E. Walnut, Unit M Santa Ana, CA 92701

18 19 19

20 24 25

30

CHANDELLE Harrier Clinic 7:00 (Ca.) Dillon Beach Demo Day CHANDELLE Duck Clinic 7:00 Funston Demon Day HIGH SIERRA HANG GLIDERS Carson Demo Days SUPERFLY HANG GLIDERS Demo Day (Ore.) JULY 1982

3 4 7 8 9 10 11 14 15 17 18 24 25

SUPERFL Y HANG GLIDERS Demo Day HANG GLIDING CENTRAL Demo Days Touring Washington Dealers (Wa.) DOG MOUNTAIN Demo Days CANADIAN ULTRALIGHTS Demo Days (Lumby, Alberta) TRI-FLY of Vancouver Demo Days (Ut.) SALT LAKE CITY Demo Days (Ut.)

27 28 29

Touring Colorado Dealers (Colo.)

30 31

GOLDEN SKY SAILS Demo Day (Colo.)

AUGUST 1982 GOLDEN SKY SAILS Demo Day

For more detailed information about Demo Days, special presentations, or parties, contact your local authorized Wills Wing Dealer.

Wills Wing.

11

President's Page

by Vic Powell

VISA AND MASTERCARD USHGA now offers the opportunity for you to use either the VISA or MASTERCARD charge card for membership, subscriptions and merchandise. I believe that this will prove to be a convenience to members. Of course your Association continues to accept checks or moneyorders. The staff at headquarters await the opportunity to serve you.

HELPING THE USA WORLD TEAM A few months ago I mentioned that the USHGA Board of Directors voted to provide increased support for the team of U.S. flyers representing this country at the 1983 World Championship meet in Tegelberg, West Germany. While the Board's action is of considerable value in helping to assemble and finance a first-rate U.S. team, there remains considerable room for flyers and clubs to provide assistance.

It is an expensive proposition to send a team of flyers, alternates, coaches and equipment overseas. Nearly $12,000 was needed by team members to participate in the 1981 World meet in Japan. USHGA loaned money for the 'purchase of tickets, and the funds were repaid.

The Association had nothing in its budget for further financial assistance. This year $3,000 has been set aside to help in raising funds for the team.

If the transportation costs alone could be met a substantial degree of assistance will have been achieved and a major step taken to insuring that we can at long last send our best competitive flyers. The relief of this major expense from the individual team participant can go a long way toward giving our team a significant

12

boost.

Obviously $3,000, while a considerable chunk of money, isn't going to fill the pot. To help matters along your Association's Executiv.e Committee has been at work. In close coordination with the National Aeronautic Association (NAA), a fund has been established for U.S. world team transportation costs. This is a service that NAA provides to its Divisions such as USHGA. Contributions to the fund are tax deductible, NAA is a 50l(c)(3) organization in the federal tax code. Payments to the fund should be by check made payable to NAA. An accompanying letter should state that the check is for the USHGA World Team. Check and letter should be sent to NAA, 821 15th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20005. Send a photocopy of the check and letter to USHGA. In addition to providing tangible help to the U.S. world team and the satisfaction of knowing that one has performed a meaningful service, I believe that the tax deductible aspect should prove to be appealing to a number of individuals and organizations. This is another service of USHGA to its members.

I believe that the flyers of this nation want to insure that the people who represent them in competition overseas are among the best flyers we have to offer. And I believe that given the opportunity to take action U.S. flyers and ·organizations will participate in the effort.

A mechanism and incentive for contributing now exists. But beyond donating from one's own funds, and I encourage you to please make a personal donation, how can one help raise money to move this project forward?

May I suggest that .this be taken on as a club project. A few years ago my local Chapter needed to raise funds for the purchase of a

mowing machine to help keep the weeds in the landing field down to a tolerable height. A non-complicated group-effort spot landing contest was held with prizes donated by local flyers and schools. A $10 entrance fee was set.

Volunteers arrived early in the morning to create a bullseye target and erect wind socks.

Everyone with a rating to fly the site was encouraged to compete. Prizes were awarded through 10th place, and a write-up was placed in the following edition of the newsletter. The event was great fun, and spirit was high. It was a real boost to the Chapter, and brought together beginner, novice, intermediate, advanced and master flyers. We raised enough money to buy the mower.

A similar project, if undertaken by every Chapter and club for the world team, could generate funds to meet a significant portion of world team expenses. The methods used to raise funds are limited only by the imagination. A world team fund raising project can help give a shot in the arm to the enthusiasm of Chapter members. And the funds are going to a worthwhile project. Get on the phone to your club's officers and ask them to bring it up for discussion at the next meeting.

Every Chapter or organization undertaking a fund raising project and notifying USHGA will be mentioned in Hang Gliding with the amount donated, along with individuals, in a honor role of donors.

This project is something we can all work together on in every section of the nation, and we will be able to gauge our progress. Let me know of ideas or projects that work in your area, they could be helpful to a Chapter in another region.

Let's help send a world team to the 1983 meet that will bring back the gold. . . .

HANG GLIDING

MOVIE REVIEW THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL HANG GLIDING COMPETITION AT PICO VERMONT Francis Freedland Films, Ltd. 60 East 11 Street, NYC 10003 (212) 228-6863

by Mike Meier Editor's Note: Mike Meier was a competiwr in this meet.

The launch ramp al Pico. Pholo by Camille Vickers.

This film follows five pilots through the 1978 Pico Invitational, focusing on the varying expectations that they bring to the competition, and the ways in which their goals for and feelings about hang gliding competition are affected by the experience. Pico was an early attempt at the large scale commercialization of hang gliding competition. Top pilots from all over the country were lured to the Vermont ski resort by the promise of a $10,000 purse.

As I remember it, most of the experienced competition pilots who went to Pico were dubious about the prospects for a quality competition. The site suffered from severe limitations and the weather was unpredictable, but the money was too good to turn down. The film traces the collapse of the prestige and prospects for commercial success of the meet as the weather takes its toll. The crumbling fortunes of pilots and promoters culminate in a confused and bitter confrontation between the two on the eve of the last day of the contest, where the promoters admit that the $10,000 was never there, and never will be. They offer $5,000 on the condition that the weather permits two rounds of competition on the final day. The pilots, unhappy but without practical alternatives, finally agree.

The contest concludes with lift conditions exploding during the final flights of the final round, (this was before one-on-one), destroying the scores of some of the leaders who flew early in the round, and finally giving Keith JULY1982

Nichols the opportunity to scoop up all the marbles. At about this time, the narrator explains to us that, although Keith had won on the luck of the draw, he won fair and square. A little later he goes even further, and states that although it seems like good luck was the major factor in selecting the winner, what in fact happened was simply that the best pilot won the meet.

I should point out that by this time in the film, I was in stitches. The ancient gliders, hopeless competition tasks, the tree landings, and the ludicrous promotion of the whole spectacle as a sporting event of major significance had tickled my funny bone and given me a comical reminder of how far hang gliding competition had come in the last four years.

The narrator droned on about how this had been The-First-International-Hang-GlidingCompetition-At-Pico, and there would never be another one. As I chuckled over that one, some seemingly irrelevant footage of winter skiers at Pico appeared, and was followed by some even more irrelevant footage of Ellenville, N.Y. during the 1980 U.S. Nationals.

The film was over.

My reaction to the film at this point was that it was a technically proficient exercise in hang gliding nostalgia. Hours later, however, I couldn't get the film out ofmy mind. As I continued to remember passages in the film, I understood more and more of what the film was saying. This film wasn't dated, it was timeless! Here was the story of what must surely be among the most incredible activities that human beings engage in; pure and simple flight. An activity so unique, so dependent on the invisible and unpredictable nature of the air which is its magic medium, that it may never submit itself to successful commercialization or objective measurement or analysis, and the practice of it may continue to go largely unrecognized by the general public. And here were five young men, dedicated to a dream of flight, who would gather again to share that dream after the skiers had returned to Pico and the promoters had discarded hang gliding like a spoiled tuna sandwich. The final film of Ellenville wasn't irrelevant, it was the whole picture! For here were these five pilots, smiling, shaking hands, laughing, hugging, sharing their personal dreams of flight while the latest would-be promoter collected the tickets and the announcer droned on about the-greatest-hang-gliding-competition-everheld-with-the-country's-top-pilots and the wind blew down the hill, and the clouds threatened rain.

I cannot believe that Mr. Freedland could have been so acutely perceptive without having flown the circuit for several years himself.

Yet it must be so, for no one could have made such a statement so accurately, so economically, and so artistically without knowing exactly what he was doing. This is a film of exceptional insight. ...-,

CONNECTICUT: On Saturday, May 1, 1982 a Connecticut pilot, Deane Williams, launched from Talcott Mountain in Simsbury, CT at 12:40 PM. After gaining 6,000 feet he turned downwind. During this weekend unusual 'meteorological conditions for this area were present and cloudbase was around 10,000 feet MSL. Although a high cloud layer had moved in, thermals continued to be good and Williams made good progress. Near the 25 mile mark he encountered a thermal which he worked up to 10,000 feet MSL which represents a gain of 9,200 feet over launch point. Now with plenty of altitude he headed towards the Rhode Island border. Many thermals later he could see the city of Providence, RI. It was soon apparent that he could make it to the edge of the eight-mile-wide Narragansett Bay but this large body of water was also blocking his downwind progress. After heading south along the bay for a while he encountered the seabreeze which greatly slowed his groundspeed. With altitude running low he turned east again and crossed part of the bay to land in Jamestown, RI which is on an island (accessible by bridge).

The flight covered a distance of 77 miles as measured by the great circle distance method.

The previous Region 8 record was 63 miles held by Jeff Burnett. Deane was flying a Pro Air 180 (supine). The total airtime was four hours and the time spent during the XC portion was 3:15.

ARIZONA: On April 21, 1982 Glen Wales and Andy Rockhold sat on the Shaw Butte takeoff for most of the afternoon looking out over Phoenix, AZ. Waiting for a good cycle in which to take off, which never came, both reluctantly took off not too long before sunset.

Glen soon found himself still climbing at 10,000 feet above takeoff, with Andy following not far below. Neither were prepared to sky out after 6:00 in the evening. Glen pulled out of the lift still at least 2,000 feet from cloud base because of severe cold. Both had to work their way down through the lift to land at the regular LZ. Glen later commented "a cross country would have been nice, but a lit· tie scary so close to dark." Shaw Butte never ceases to amaze the local pilots.

...-

13

USHCA REPORTS

COMPETITION REPORT The U.S. Nationals

by Keith Nichols After a review of the publicity received from their sponsorship oflast year's Nationals, Blue Stratos decided to look into funding them again this year. They had a number of priorities to consider for this year and they instructed me to begin work on an east coast Nationals. They wanted the meet in the east this year for marketing reasons. They also planned to spend one third of what they did in 1981.

They wanted it at a site that would not only handle a good Nationals, but would be conducive to a good media program as well.

With these aspects in mind, I began looking around. We looked at several existing flying sites, such as Ellenville, NY and Chattanooga, TN, but these were eliminated because of either poor market reasons or an impractical media situation. Naturally, some of the Blue Stratos executives came up with some places that they felt would be great. Unfortunately, they were in no way flyable.

Their strongest feeling was to hold it in the northeast, hopefully within an hour from New York City. But nothing existed that close. So we decided to expand the range and try near Boston. I contacted several flyers in the area for suggestions. Jeff Burnett, from New Hampshire, gave me a lengthy list of possibilities that we narrowed down. Phil Friel from Nashue, NH, worked with me in deciding which ones to investigate. We narrowed it down to Gunstock Mountain near Laconia, NH. The mountain seemed to fit most of the criteria. It was less than two hours from Boston and in the center of one of the most popular tourist areas in New England.

The Gunstock Ski Area had the facilities we would need - already set-up publicity pipe· lines with a media list of over 150 outlets; 300 campsites with hookups and a pool; plenty of JULY1982

parking; a cafeteria and bar; and local contacts that were offering all the help that we needed.

In short, the place was aching for a meet.

But what about the flying? Had the site been flown at all? How was the weather? Would it be soarable? This was what most of our research concentrated on. Jeff Burnett said that he had flown the site several times, although in guerrilla fashion, as had other pilots in the area. The mountain was in the middle of a five-mile long ridge that had possible launches from both sides. This would eliminate downwind days. Over the last eight years, the airport reported an average of 10% rainy days during late August-early September. Very little in the way of high winds was reported but the operators of a glider port indicated good thermal conditions over the valleys of the area that time of year. The west face of the site has a 1,400' vertical into the prevailing winds. The operators of the Gunstock Ski Area offered to open their chair lifts for the meet, a costly operation, and to allow us to clear several areas for new launches.

So essentially, it looked to me like the site could handle a Nationals as well as any eastern site. With the local cooperation we were offered, I recommended using it to Blue Stratos.

This was in late January of this year. They accepted the recommendation and proceeded to spend what later totalled close to $10,000 in putting it together. The only obstacle now was corporate approval from American Cyanamid, the parent corporation. This would take some time, but we were told to proceed on the assumption that we would receive approval soon. Sanction was received from the USHGA. Through the Gunstock people, we received state and local approval so by March, we were ready to go.

In February, another bid for the Nationals was submitted to the USHGA by Pine Crest Air Park in San Bernardino, California. After weighing both bids, the Board of Directors approved the eastern bid. So preparations and announcements began.

Then in late April, I received word from Blue Stratos that American Cyanamid had turned down the budget and PR plans we had submitted. The product was not selling very well and they were cutting all of their budgets.

So in one fell swoop, everything we had done so far was thrown out the window with a "Thanks, but no thanks."

Since the USHGA Board of Directors had indicated a preference for an east coast Nationals this year, I started investigating other possible sponsors. Most people realize that no American company is going to put money into something like a hang gliding meet unless they get enough publicity out of it. I talked to the NBC Sportsworld people who said that unless one of their advertisers, such as Blue Stratos, were sponsoring the meet, they would not be interested in covering it. I contacted several of

those advertisers but they all had the same story. The economy is bad; they have no money; all their programs were being cut back; they're really sorry, they wished they could help us, but ... So our guarantee of TV coverage was then out and that was the prime selling point for a new sponsor. At that point, I made the decision to accept the bid from Pine Crest Air Park for the Nationals. They would need the time to prepare.

There was no doubt in my mind that Rob McKenzie and his crew could put on an excellent National Championship. My only problem was with the precedent breaker of not rotating the meet from the east to the west and so on. However, in the USHGA rules for selecting the Nationals site, it places primary emphasis on the site itself, with regional consideration being secondary. My personal feelings were simply that if the site were adequate, the meet should still move around. However, without financial support, I just didn't feel that we could justify the development of such an untested site for the Nationals. With time running out, I went with the bid from Pine Crest.

For those interested in this very soarable flight park contact: Pine Crest Air Park 6555 N. Pine Ave. San Bernardino, CA 92407 (714) 887-9275

FLY BETTER KNOW YOUR EQUIPMENT HANG GLIDING, the first book on the sport has been updated 9 times and now includes a special section on motorized 11ight. 186 pages, 350 illustrations, over 125,000 sold! The complete 11ying. designing, building handbook and buyer's guide. $6.95 (Californians add 42¢ sales tax).

HANG GLIDING MANUAL with Log. The most authoritative, compact, concise, complete and least expensive basic flight manual available. Used as a training text by schools worldwide. $1.50 (Cali1ornians add 9¢ sales tax).

MANNED KITING. Fly the 11atlands with the only book on tow launched hang gliding. Step·by-step instructions carefully guide the novice through taxi practice, towed flight and release to 1ree flight. $3.95 (Californians add 24¢ sales tax).

Add $1 to total order for shipping

SEND FOR FREE OESCRI PTIVE BROCHURE PARA PUBLISHING, Books by Dan Poynter P.O. Box 4232·G, Santa Barbara, CA 93103 Deafer inquiries invited

15

SPECIAL POSTER ISSUE! In this issue of Hang Gliding magazine you will find a poster bound into the center section. We are kicking off an all-out membership drive. Put your poster up in your local hang gliding shop or Chapter meeting room.

The sport of hang gliding remains unregulated mostly due to the efforts of responsible pilots and your national organization, USHGA. Self-regulation has worked and it will continue to work as long as pilots work together through their association. If you have a pilot friend who is not a member get him on board. Remember our strength is in our dedication and our numbers!

AERO BA TIC DISCUSSION TO BE HELD In the past few years the issue of aerobatics has gained increasing publicity. Manufacturers continue to warn us against performing radical maneuvers even in the newest of gliders. Most reputable hang gliding schools have a strict policy to avoid teaching aero· batics at all cost, yet more and more contests are including aerobatics thus legitimizing these maneuvers. Most flying sites now have one or more pilots going for a loop.

Like it or not aerobatics are here so Hang Flight Systems is offering an aerobatic discussion. Rob Kells, top aerobatic pilot, will lead the discussion.

The information presented is valuable to both the aerobatic pilot and the pilot who flies in strong thermal conditions. Make a reservation now: Thursday, July 15, 7:00 PM, Hang Flight Systems, 1202 E. Walnut #M, Santa Ana, CA 92701 (714) 542-7444.

CHAPTER OF THE YEAR AWARD The USHGA is soliciting nominations for this award which honors the most outstanding USHGA Chapter for 1982. Criteria to be considered (but not limited to) arc: Programs for beginners and novices, site procurement and retention, safety programs, civic service,

16

NORTH CAROLINA X-C CONTEST

USHGA membership development. Please cite full information with date, names, locations, return address and telephone number.

Site

NEWSLETTER OF THE YEAR AW ARD The USHGA is soliciting nominations for this award which honors the most outstanding hang gliding newsletter for 1982. Criteria to be considered (but not limited to) are: Service to members, layout, article variety, and safety promotion. Please cite full information with return address and telephone number and at least six different issues of the newsletter published in 1982.

All replies must be received by December 1, 1982. Send all nominations to Dick Newton, Chairman USHGA Awards Committee, Rt. 1, Box 98E, Marshall, Va 22115 (703) 364-1776.

VIC POWELL AOPA ULTRALIGHT DIRECTOR The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association has appointed Victor Powell director of the association's newly-formed Ultralight Division.

Powell, formerly with the Air Force Association, will assume his duties June 1 according to John L. Baker, president of the 260,000inember AOPA. The association announced recently its new Ultralight Division and planning toward a new safety and monitoring program for ultralight aircraft. Some 15,000 of the craft already are in the air with about 45,000 slated to be airborne at the end of 1983.

One-time television newsman and producer, Powell is currently president of the U.S. Hang Gliding Association which he helped to found.

He also is on the board of the First Flight Society and a member of the Aero Club of Washington.

Powell is a Navy veteran and once worked as a press aide to Rep. G. William Whitehurst (R) of Virginia and as executive director of the National Aeronautic Association. He holds a bachelor's degree from Marietta College, Marietta, Ohio, where he graduated in 1962.

Pilot

Distance

Date

Tater Hill Tom Ives 55 miles Grandfather Stew Smith 50 miles Tater Hill Bubba 47 miles Goodman

May I May 3 May 1

On May 3 Joe Foster flew 30 miles and landed first so he held the new X-C record from Grandfather for three hours until Stew Smith landed. Aer Stephen flew 24 miles for a total of 104 miles which is also a record for Grandfather Mtn. The same day brought altitude gains of 7,000 feet above launch.

UP, Seedwings and Manta have offered $100 for the winner with Flight Designs offering $200 to North Carolina's top X-C pilot this year.

DEL SHIRE SETS EASTERN RECORDS The East Coast altitude gain and distance record has been broken by Del Shire in a Sensor 510-180. He flew 90 miles from Ellenville, New York to New Haven, Connecticut with an altitude gain of 10,500 feet.

SEEDWINGS INTRODUCES SENSOR 510 X-C RACER Seedwings is introducing a special production racing glider, the X-C racer, with 3-4 week delivery.

According to the manufacturer the X-C racer, their latest design, is a refined Sensor 510 incorporating a special Mylar-Dacron sail for improved aerodynamics and lower overall drag, adjustable handling and performance characteristics so you can tune the glider for the conditions, flat set-up with a new control bar bracket, and drag reducing fairings.

It is also claimed that the X-C Racer utilizes numerous subtle refinements in sailcut, frame, hardware and improved overall technology.

With a year of field experience, two wins at the Nationals and a win at Telluride, the Sensor 510 has proven its competitiveness. Contact: Seedwings, 1919 Castillo, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, (805) 682-4250.

HANG GLIDING

In the summer of 1981 a group of dedicated acrobatic hang glider pilots gathered in Tellu· ride, Colorado to stage an experiment - the first meet designed to test aerobatic skill in hang gliding history. Tom Tatum and his film crew were also there, to capture the energy, the spectacle and the pilot's perspective of the aerobatic experience.

The result is 28 minutes of the most stun· footage ever filmed of man in flight.

"Double High" is available from Wills Wing in half-inch VHS or BETA format for $59.95.

Contact your local Wills Wing dealer for details.

Tom Peghiny has been employed by Flight Designs to serve in the capacity of an ex· perimental test pilot. Peghiny's primary re· sponsibilities will be in the area of new pro· duct design, development and flight testing.

Since arriving at Flight Designs, Peghiny has already begun work on the FD·2 ultralight, contributing to the final con figural ion and is assisting in the preparation of criteria for an extensive flight test program.

Pcghiny has been active in hang gliding for 13 years and has won 33 first place trophies in the sport, many with aircraft he has designed.

In 1975 he became vice president of rcsearoh and development at Sky Sports where he was in charge of product developmelll, customer service and dealer relations. Mr. Peghiny sub· scquently held major design, refinement and test pilot responsibilities at Electra Flyer and Seagull.

We are happy to announce the 1982 Utah Cross Country Odyssey is ofTicially under way. The task will be to make the longest cross country flight measured in a straight line from takeoff to landing and prove it. The flight must originate in Utah. Anyone can compete.

The competition starts when pilot entry form is post marked and ends December 31, 1982.

There will be two classes: A and B. A is for pilots who have flown over 30 miles. B is for those who have not. Only foot·launched, non· powered hang gliders arc allowed. Prize money: 50°/r, of accumulated entry fees and contingency prizes. Some manufacturers and dealers have already made commitments on contingency prizes.

The meet directors are Larry Tudor (801) 571-6266 and Gordon Boyce 572-3616. They will be verifying and substantiating all flights.

The Utah Cross Country Odyssey is fashioned after the very successful Southern California Cross Country Tournament. .JULY1982

Wills Wing now offers a comfortable, durable full-length flight suit to hang glider and ultralight pilots. The collar and sleeve cuffs are padded, and velcro closure pant cuffs stop wind from entering. With plenty of pockets to store parts, glasses, or whatever it is the ideal pilot's garment, and is available in a variety oC colors. Contact: Wills Wing.

was pm together by Eipper-Formance using their Quicksilver Model E weightshifi ultra· light as the basic airframe. Some design changes were made. There was no landing gear and no power plant. The simulated Wright Flyer also had a double canard at the nose. All the aluminum surfaces on the ultralight were covered over with wood grain adhesive paper and a white sail was hand-dyed wilh tan ink to simulate the fabric used for the wings on the turn-of-the-century plane.

The craft was piloted by Eiper·Formancc President Lyle Byrum. During the first two days of shooting the plane was operated without a motor and was filmed from the ground. Byrum foot launched it off a 150,foot cliff. Later a 15 hp Yamaha engine was mounted under the wing and a special camera was attached 10 Byrum's helmet to do the aerial filming.

It's wacko, zany, crazy, outrageous to think that hang glider pilots can do anything but hang glide. After all, just listen to their language. All they talk about is speckin' out in those boss thermals until it gets too gnarly or marginal or rad to have a really bitchin' Hight.

Well, Hang Flight Systems is out to prove that wrong. At this very moment HFS talent scouts are looking for singers, dancers, musicians, jugglers, acrobats, pogo jumpers, comedians, or just plain good looking (or ex· tremcly ugly) people to participate iJII the event of the summer: Hang Gliding The Trur

Srmy.

A special moc:k·up of the turn·of·thc·ccmury Wright Flyer, designed and built by Eippcr· Formancc, Inc., soared through the skies in a made·.for-telcvision movie filmed by Universal Studios.

The movie, The Voyager, used the ultra· light in crucial f1lming sequences. The movie revolves around a character named Phincus Bogg, who has a time travel apparatus. Bogg goes back in time to WWI and discovers the Allies are losing the war because German dirigibles arc seemingly unbeatable. Bogg sees the reason for this is that the airplane ap· parently hasn't been invented.

Bogg goes further back in time to the Wright Brother's bicycle shop to sec what went wrong and finds the brothers chasing women instead of working on their airplane.

Bogg docs some of the work for them and the world is saved.

The plane used 10 simulate the Wright Flyer

This fictional fantasy will take the audience on a real life adventure of one person's search for talent. Now is the time to get your act together. We need skits, chorus line members, and lots of help. Auditions will be held Tues· day, July 20 at HFS. If you have a special talent, a talking dog or come up with a good skit with your Hying buddies give us a call.

Auditions will be restricted 10 participants only. The performance will be held the Thurs· day before the Nationals in August. Contact: Betty Moyer or Erik Fair at (714) 542,7444.

Pilots who take medication, from aspirin to prescription remedies, can now check in a new book which ones are safe for use while Hying.

The guide is published by Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and the National Aero· nautical Institute.

The 225,page "Medication and Flying: A Pilot's Guide," was written by Dr. Stanley R. Mohler, director of aerospace medicine at the Wright State lJniversity School of Medicine.

17

"All too often a pilot will either not fly, or not take needed medication because of an un· certainty of the effects of the medication at higher altitudes," an AOPA spokesman said.

"This guide removes those doubts."

Hundreds of drugs are listed in the guide by generic and trade names. Information includes any significant side effects that the medication may have on pilots as well as the length of time it takes for the body's system to clear itself of the drug effect.

"Many times the pilot's family doctor or druggist is not familiar with aviation and is unable to provide specific information to a pilot," the AOP A spokesman points out.

The medication guide will sell for $19.95 but is available to members for $14.95. Contact: Charles Spence, (301) 9 51 · 3820.

PACIFIC KITES BUILDS SMALLER VAMPYR Pacific Kites has added a smaller 140 square-foot size to its lineup ofVampyr 3 hang gliders, according to the company. The MK-3 is an 80% double-surface design incorporating a free floating bottom sail surface. It is now available direct from the factory in three sizes: 185, 164 and 140 square-foot models. The MK 2 Lancer 4 is now in production and can be ordered from Pacific Kites, P.O. Box 45087, Te Atatu North, Auckland 8, New Zealand.

GLIDER SHOWCASE A SUCCESS April 17th and 18th, Kitty Hawk Kites held its First Annual East Coast Glider Showcase on Jockey's Ridge. Representatives of Wills Wing, Flight Designs and U.S. Moyes were there to show off their new gliders.

During the showcase the many interested pilots were able to fly the different designs.

Flight Designs showed off their Demon and Javelin, Wills Wing had a new Duck and the Harrier II; and Moyes had the Missile.

Excitement was high and so were the pilots who flew. Sunday was a soarable day so everyone had good flights and were able to see what the gliders would do.

Everyone agreed the showcase was a success and that it helped to be able to fly different gliders on the same day. If you missed the showcase this year don't miss it next year.

Contact: Mark Airey (919) 441-4124.

CRYSTAL AIR AT THE WORLD'S FAIR Chattanooga, Tennessee, Crystal Air Sports of Chattanooga (located at Raccoon Mountain) has been chosen by the state of Tennessee, Department of Tourist Development, to supp· ly a hang glider to be suspended in the Ten·

nessee Pavillion at the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The hang glider for this distinguished position is a scale replica, built especially for Crystal Air Sports by Flight Designs of Salinas, California.

It is significant that the only two activities highlighted in the Tennessee Pavillion are hang gliding and whitewater rafting. Crystal Air Sports partner, Tom Phillips said, "We're real excited that hang gliding has been honored by the state in this way. We see hang gliding as one of the real unique activities of Tennessee, providing visual and sporting entertainment to many out-of-state visitors."

REGION VI X-C CHALLENGE Although the longest Region 6 flight so far officially entered in the contest is 24 miles by Charlie Gillespie, David Morton of Fort Smith, Arkansas flew 52 miles on May 4 in a Comet 165. He didn't join the contest until the following day.

His flight'was from Heavener, OK to three miles north of Uniontown, Arkansas. The flight lasted two-and-a-half hours with a maximum altitude of 6,100 feet. This flight is the new Region 6 record. On the flight David took pictures of Poteau and Cameron, OK and Fort Smith, Arkansas as he flew over.

BROTHERS Fast and accurate a,r speed measurements can be made by using the Hall Wind Meter. A valuable instrument for all hang glide< pilots. S21.50

Our Seated and Prone Brackets shown here with the Wind Meter. provide an excellent lightweight mounting tor the Wind Meter. Seated BracKet SS.00 Prone Bracket $8.00

Our Control Bar Wheels protect you and your glider on that occasional bad landing and during routine ground hanaling. The wheels lit 1" or 111'' control bars. Specify size when ordering.

S20.D0 pr.

prevents vibration from interlering with its operation on motorized gliders. $6.50

When ordering please specily the items ordered and how many of each am desired. Adrl S2.00 tor C0.0. orders and for orders to foreign countries. Telephone orders welcome. Dealer inquires invited.

MAKE CHECK OR MONEY ORDER PAYABLE TO HALL BROTHERS, BOX 771, MORGAN, UT 84050 (801) 829-3232

18

HANG GLIDING

PILOTS! LEARN TO FLY HIGHER, SAFER, FURTHER Up-to-date illustrated information guaranteed to improve your flying.

Written by a USHGA instructor.

• HANG GLIDING FLYING SKILLS-DETAILS ON: BEGINNING FLIGHT * INTERMEDIATE SKILLS * AERODYNAMICS * GLIDER DESIGN * GLIDER REPAIR * SELECTING EQUIPMENT* THERMALING * MORE. $6.95 + 60¢ POSTAGE. • FLYING CONDITIONS-THE ROAD MAP TO THE SKY-DETAILS ON: GENERAL WEATHER* TURBULENCE* ROTORS * WIND SHADOW * SEA BREEZES * WIND GRADIENT * RIDGE LIFT *THERMALS• MORE. $6.95 + 60¢ POSTAGE. • HANG GLIDING FOR ADVANCED PILOTS-DETAILS ON: COMPETITION* EFFICIENT TURNING* POLARS* SPEEDS TO FLY* THERMAL TECHNIQUES* DISTANCE SOARING* DESIGN CONCEPTS * MORE. $6.95 + 60¢ POSTAGE. •POWERED ULTRALIGHT AIRCRAFT-DETAILS ON: CHOOSING THE RIGHT CRAFT • AERODYNAMICS * CONTROLS * AIRMANSHIP * MORE. $7.95 + 60¢ POST. ***NEW*** • POWERED ULTRALIGHT TRAINING COURSE-A MANUAL FOR SELF-TEACHING AND TRAINING SCHOOLS-11 LESSONS AND RELATED GROUNDSCHOOLS-TESTS AND FAA REGULATIONS INCLUDED- $12.95 + 60¢ POSTAGE. ~ Except POWERED $11.95 + 60¢ POSTAGE FOR TWO $16.95 + 90¢ POSTAGE FOR THREE ULTRALIGHT $21.95 + 90¢ POSTAGE FOR FOUR TRAINING COURSE $29.95 + 1.10 POSTAGE FOR ALL FIVE SEND CHECK OR CASH TO: DENNIS PAGEN, DEPT. H P.O. BOX 601, STATE COLLEGE, PA 16801 DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED

BALL VARIOMETERS INC. 5735 ARAPAHOE AVENUE, BOULDER, COLORADO 80303 PHONE: (303) 449-2135

JULY 1-5. Wyoming CrossCountry Open. Contact: Chuck Bright, c/o C and L Enterprises, P.O. Box 1536, Riverton, WY 82501 (307) 856-4671.

JULY 3-5. Region Regionals. Send SASE to: Cloudbase Country Club, 52-A 221 st SW, Bothell, WA 98011 (206) 481-5878.

AUGUST 7-8. Aerial weekend at Crested Butte, Colorado. Contact: Elaine Chandler, P.O. Box 1122, Crested Butte, CO 81224 (303) 349. 7311.

JULY 4TH Weekend.

Frankfort soaring and hang gliding festival.

Ultralight fly-in and demo.

HG towing competition at Elberta Beach. Contact: Jim Nelson (616) 882-5070.

AUGUST 16-20. Trofeo Sansicario hang gliding grand prix XC competition. Prize money. Contact: Gi Ferraris, Holiday Club Cansicario, 10054 Cesana Torinese, Italy.

JULY 17·18. Regional FlyIn, Mt. Harrison, near Burley, ID. Contact: Frank Gillette, Rt. 1, Burley, JD 83318 (208) 654-6381.

SEPT. 4·6. Fifth Annual Free Spirit Hang Gliding Contest. $1,000 purse plus _trophies. Camping. Ultralight activities included.

Contact: P.O. Box 13, Elmira, NY 14902. (607) 732-1490.

JULY 20-25. 6th Annual Grouse Mountain World Invitational Hang Gliding Championships.

The world's top 100 pi lots come from as far away as Japan, Africa and Australia, to compete for cash prizes and titles. Contact: Harvey Blackmore, 1368 Burnside Rd., West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada B7S 2P5.

JULY 22-25. Region I Instructor Certification Program. Seattle, Wash. Contact: Dave Little, 524 221 st SW, Bothell, WA 98011.

MODEL 651 VARIO/AUDIO AL Tl METER

$495

$280 These and other models in stock for pilots who require the best. Available from Hang Gliding and Ultralight Dealers and Manufacturers. Dealer inquiries invited.

Protected by U.S. Patent No. 4,086,810.

JULY1982

Send SASE or call Joe DeCleur, 528 W. Colorado, Nampa, ID 83651 (208) 467-3277.

JULY 31-AUG. 1. Starthistle '82. Competition sponsored by Rogue Valley HGA. Contact: RVHGA, P.O; Box 621, Grants Pass, OR 97526.

JULY 22-23. Dayton international airshow and trade exposition. Contact: Mark Chatterton, 808 Sipos Circle, Englewood, Ohio 45322.

JULY 23-25.

Series Meet,

Region 5 Boise, ID.

SEPT. 11·12. 4th Annual Canadian-American Challenge Cup. Black Mtn. Wash. $30 entry. Contact: Rick Girard, 1911 Larrabee, Bellingham, WA 98225 (206) 733-5467.

SEPT. 14-19. U.S. Masters.

Grandfather Mountain, Linville, NC. International invitational tournament.

Contact Hugh Morton, Linvi lie, NC 28646 (704) 733-2800.

SEPT. 20-26. Telluride World Invitational Aerobatic Hang Gliding Championships, P.O. Box 456, Telluride, CO 81435.

OCTOBER 16-17. Blue Angels at Point Mugu Air Show. Contact: (805) 982-8094.

NOV. 27-29. Sunc'oast 8th annual tow launched hang glider championships. St. Pete, Florida, Contact: Hal Elgin, 6639 Emerson Ave. South., St. Pete, FL 33707.

19

Amado Summers This an ick is not about Sandia Peak. Oh sure, it is a great site, but because of it other promising places have been overlooked by local and mll·of·statc pilots. Sandia is a regulated flying site, and unfortunately many pilots leave with a bad taste in their mouth. J\ll I will say, is that if you want to fly there, be a good Advanced (Hang ti), with helmet and parachlllc. All other sites with the possible ex ccption of the southern NM sites arc com· unregulated, and open fi:ir anyone. For specific details on how 10 find these sites, I

will give my address and phone number at the end of this article. Feel free to contact me.

Now on with the show! We'll start our with New Mexico's second most popular site.

TETILLA This ridge probably originates more flights than any other in New Mexico.

When Sandia is blown out, as it often is three quarters of the year, most pilots trek 40 miles up r.25 from J\lbuquerquc, to take advantage

of the fantastic flying Tetilla has to offer. Having a rocky, two·whccl drivcablc, 45·minute road to launch, Tctilla offers a l ,000' vertical.

While there is actllally 7 miles of' ridge that could be soared, about a mile in front of launch is what is usually flown. Facing the prevailing west-southwesterly breezes, Tctilla is almost always flyable. There is also a south tnkcofl; which is about 150 yards south of the main launch, an excellent slopinp; cliff lmmch.

Although many good thcrmaling flights have been made here, ridge soaring is defin-

A pilot overlooks the launch and landing areas ol Magdalena. Photo by Bob Carlton.

20

HANG GLIDING

where i1's atl The of the ridge in front of launch allows for some truly amazing altit11de gains on ridge lift alone. On a fair clay with winds of 10-20 mph, gains of l,000'· 2,000' over launch arc common. When the wind gets to 20·· 30 +, gains of 3,000' arc possible. And that's with no thermals! On many spring clays the wind will honk over 30 all and in the evening, it will usually mellow to 20-25, making for a very enjoyable glass-off llight, watching the sunset. Just recently Tflew on such a and gained 2,800' above launch, in hands off air that would make one think of Torrey Pines.

When thermals make their mysterious ap· pearance here, the sky (or should I say the clouds) arc the limit. In the middle of April of this year, Dave Baltz piloted his Sensor 510 to 16,500' MSL, a gain of9,500' over launch, to set a new (unofficial) site alti1udc record.

(1:.'ditor's Nore: On May 30, 1982 rhc a111hor set a new record at rhis site wirh a 12,000' gain over talwofl to !.9,000' MSL with a 25-mile XC.) No one has tried much X-C here, since Sandia is usually flown in prime conditions. But as or this writing, the record is ·3 3 miles, set by a local novice rated (Hang 2) pilot, Mike Wolford, flying a Comet. (Interestingly enough, he flew the "Melrose Special," the same glider Jim Lee flew for his l 68-milc whopper.)

Four miles south of Tctilla, along the same ridge there is another launch site, I .abajada.

(Pronounced la-ba-ha-da.) On good days, pilots soar all the way down to Labajada, where the cliffs taper down to a 600' vertical, and then hopefully make it back to Tetilla.

When it comes time to land, no need to worry. There arc acres and acres of open tcr· rain below launch. The only problems occur when pilots try to land too close to the paved road that runs across the LZ, and hit one of the two barbed wire fences that run parallel to it.

Landing on top is nnother nice feature of this site. You can land close to the edge, and brave the rornr, or if you value uprights as much as 1 do, you can go back a ways and find smoother air. Beware of numerous cacti, and our native pinon and juniper trees.

Now let's look at some other, less 1rc:qt1,cn11y flown sites.

Above Tetilla ridge looking toward Labajada. Photo by Bob Carlton.

landing al Teti Ila. The ridge in the background is "!he bench," a 250-lool secondary ridge. Photo by Bob Carlton.

GRANTS Another 1,000' ridge, Grants faces primarily west-northwest, offers several launch sites along the approximately 1112-mile long ridge, and top landings arc possible. The road up is nn old, winding mining road and is in fair shape. The LZ is another giant one.

Located abollt 80 miles west of Albuquer· quc, Grants is one ofrhe few sites around here that would allow a pilot to make a 60-70 mile X-C Oighr, and land in his back yard, rat her than in the middle of nowhere, as is common of most other places.

JUIV1982

Dave Ballz launches his Sensor 510 al Magdalena. Photo by Bob Carlton.

21

A Fledge pilol llares for a landing at Rowe Mesa. Photo by Bob Carlton.

MAGDALENA

Also known as South Baldy, or the San Mateos, this is a rugged, 3,100' vertical mom1tain flying site, about 20 miles west of Socorro.

The launch is a gentle sloping, grassy mca·· dow, situated at approximately 10,500' MSL. Accepting westerly winds up to about 20 mph, Magdalena offers excellent ridge, and thermal soaring. Overdcvelopment can be a problem, so when your adrenalin starts a pum· pin' when you spot those fluffy clouds form· ing over launch, watch carefully that they don't start getting too big.

Cloudbasc flights up to and over 18,000' MSL have been achieved here and there is much X-C potential. Unfortunately, it is about four miles out to the main LZ. On mellow, light-wind a Cirrus 3 has been known to glide out with 1,500' to spare. But when cyclsinky conditions prevail, even state-of:theart glider pilots have been known to pray for the LID that manufacturers claim! The further you fly out, the better your landing options become, so be careful when timing launch, and observe other pilots in the air to judge conditions.

Pronounced Pa-ha-rec-to, this si1 e is another high mountain launch, located directly west of Los Alamos. Elevation being about 10,500' Pajarito is an outrageously beautifol site, with an 1,800' vertical drop to the LZ, the "Valle Grande." The road up is the service road for the I ,os Alamos ski run. It goes back and forth, underneath the chair-lift.

The launch is very similar to Magdalena's, except there arc a few blue spruces to contend

22

with. Facing south-southwest, it is a rarely flown site, again, having super X-C poten1ial.

The main drawback is that you have to f1y over all that beautifol-looking landing area below launch to the road, about 31/, miles from launch. It is privately owned, with no vehicle access allowed. So for now, if you sink out before you make the road, you have to truck your gear out on your back. However the foture looks good, as the state is trying to purchase the "Valle."

SUN MOUNTAIN Having a 700' vertical, with the launch situated at 8,000' MSL, Sun is a hill located at the base of the Sang re de Cristos, overlooking of Santa Fe. This site definitely seems the to produce more thermal activity than other

area !lying sites, but there is a catch. It requires a 500' walk-up. With older gliders in the 40-50 pound range, it wasn't too bad. But with the current crop of 70 + pound divers, to put it mildly, it's a bearcat! Helpers make it much easier, unless you pride yourself as the Incredible Hulk!

Facing west-northwest, Sun has a beautiful, steep slope launch. The city of Santa Fe seems to create very intense lift, and overdevelop· ment is an everyday occurrence in the late summer months. To give you an idea of the lifi: possible here, the first person to fly off of Sun, Ben Quarles, launched an Oly several years ago, and gained nearly 4,000' without making a turn! Another example: In March of this year, Dan Guido, a visiting pilot from upstate New York gained 2,500' in one ther· ma! at 12:30 PM, before the thermals even had a chance to get good! Visions of a 200-milc flight over the Sangres, flying up into Colorado pass through the author's mind.

The landing areas arc a bit hairy. There are several, depending on the wind direction on the ground. There arc lots of small trees, power lines, roads, and other obstructions, so beware.

ROWE MESA When the winds go cast in some areas of the country, your screwed. Not so here! Located 25 miles east of Santa Fe, we have Rowe Mesa, a 1,000' vertical ridge, having cast and north facing sides. The cast side is a two-mile long ridge wilh a good, slopiug cliff launch, which was recently much improved by a visiting pilot, Doug Swenson, who graciously donated a day of his vacation time to build an excellent launch. Landing on top is possible in any one of the good sized grassy fields, located between the stands of 60' ponderosa pines.

The north launch is a hairy, precipice cliff (continued on page 44)

Randy Chavez hikes his glider up the last few yards al Grants.

The set-up at Grants is typical of NM sites. Rocky, with cacti. Photo by Dave Baltz.

HANG GLIDING

article, graphics and interview with Willy Oommen and Pat Denevan by Terry Ferrer

"Mid-air!" Thoughts of death and destruction flash through the mind as that most hated combination of words in aviation circles is uttered. It is just as terrible in the hang gliding community.

There are a few instances of mid-airs involving hang gliders on record. A couple of glider pilots were lucky enough to land safely but at least one died as a result of the mid-air collision. The following is an investigation of such an accident.

On Sunday June 14, 1981 during the 1981 Region II National Qualifier being held at Elk Mountain, CA, Craig Zurkey, flying a Comet and Willy Dammen, flying a Demon were involved in a mid-air collision approximately two hundred feet over the spine of the mountain.

Willy successfully deployed his parachute and landed safely. But Craig, whose glider sustained most of the damage, did not get his parachute out in time and consequently died of injuries sustained as he and his glider impacted the mozmtain al a high rate of speed.

In the interest of safety (if we sincerely believe 1ha1 we learn from others' mistakes and successes) we present two interviews. One with Willy Dammen, survivor of the mid-air hang glider collision, and the other with Pal Denevan, who landed to ny to give aid to the downed pilots.

If jus1 one hfe is saved, one pilot kepi from bodily injwy or some knowledge of safer flying procedures are learned, then Craig Zurkey will not have died in vain.

24

Terry: Tell me about yourself Willy.

Willy: Well, I've been flying since 1975 mainly in Europe. I flew competition in Europe for different manufacturers; I was a glider distributor, and I've worked for Flight Designs for a year.

Terry: How do you feel about talking about the accident during last year's Regionals ('81)?

Willy: No problem. It's all right - I can talk about it now. I've learned to accept it and live with it. The first couple of weeks after the accident I was kind of bummed out but the thing is, I hope somebody has learned something from this. A life is a high price to pay for learning a lesson.

I don't know how to say it, but it's just like I remember when Lee Sterios died. I came to the United States for a summer vacation right after Lee went in and everyone out here was kind of bummed. You know that's when people started getting the certification program going. They said: "Whoa, these gliders, you gotta watch it and build 'em right." And maybe this is the beginning of something again. (See following interview with Pat Denevan.)

Terry: So you can feel that the accident was a combination of things that just came together at that particular time?

Willy: Yeah, wrong time of the day, sunset. It was dusk and there was a definite glare factor.

To judge distance at that time was very hard.

Looking west into the sun you could just barely distinguish a glider in the distance coming at you. Maybe that's what Craig saw and thought I was further away than I was. I've heard a lot of other pilots say that was one of their problems too.

Terry: How crowded was it up there that day?

Willy: It was really crowded. The reason was that the event was totally picked wrong for the conditions at that time.

Terry: What about the "patchy" lift?

Willy: Well, where there was any little patch oflift there were gliders around. When you get thirty of the hottest pilots in the area together, which was pretty much what was left at that time, they're gonna stay in any lift no matter what.

Actually, I feel the final flight shouldn't have even taken place for our class. I don't think we needed it. It was mainly for Class II gliders because there were a lot of ties in that class.

Everybody was ready to go home that afternoon. I was loading my glider on my car.

Because of that final round, other guys who HANG GLIDING

had a long way to drive weren't able to leave at 5 PM like they wanted. A friend of mine, Doug Cook, was packed up and actually leaving the campground when it was announced that he had to fly again. They read names from the competition roster and all those pilots had to load their gliders on the truck and go back up and fly again.

Terry: All right, we got the background leading up to that last round. Willy, in your own words, what happened while you were in the air?

The last I saw of Craig, he was out over the spine of Elk Mountain about a hundred feet away and fifty feet higher than me. I was in light, marginal lift, more sustaining than gaining. I had already completed about three 360's in the same spot, not gaining any altitude. I came out of a left turn and felt a hard 'thump' on my glider. I was jolted by the impact.

Diel Craig yell out to you?

Yeah, right before we hit he yelled "Hey!" and then afrer the impact I yelled "Whoaaa!" Most of the guys in the air heard me yell and the guys I've been flying with knew right away something had happened, especially my competition opponent, who said he knew something bad had happened to me because he could distinguish my "Whoaaa!"

Terry: What did you do then?

Willy: Well, the impact was so hard that it actually stopped my glider from flying. It stalled, the glider pitched over and the nose went clown. I let go of the control bar and fell through it as I reached for my chute and threw it.

How far below the ridge did you land?

Willy: I hit about a hundred yards from the top of the ridge and Craig went in about another one hundred fifty yards from me.

Was there any way you could have gotten to Craig in time to do anything to help him?

Willy: No, I don't think so. I didn't know what his injuries were. No one told me the ext cm of his injuries until Pat told me that Craig was in sad shape when he found him. There was nothing Pat could have done for him either.

What do you think of Pat Dcnevan up his chances of going to the Nationals by landing to try to help out?

Willy: I think that's one of the most courageous things that anybody did because there were a lot of other pilots who were up there together and I don't think any of them would have done it. If Pai hadn't clone it then probably nobody would have. Even when he did, someone else might have been able to sec what had happened from the air and think, "God, somebody's hurt. They might need my help too." But, you know, usnally if someone's hurt, not just one guy lands to help b111 other pilots should too. Sec, that's the competition spirit right there. Pilot's thoughts arc mainly on beating their opponents and nothing else.

Before the accident, did you have any other close calls that day?

Willy: Well, I didn't consider them close calls. I mean, I fly with friends at Fon Funston and there you're flying pretty close but you always get by each other and that's

what everybody was actually doing. The conditions were light lift and sometimes some small, really punchy thermals would come through very punchy stuff, that would just dump you out like crazy. My opponent (Dan Murphy) and I were one of the first ones who launched that round and when there weren't too many gliders in the area it wasn't that bad.

But as soon as a lot of pilots started getting in the air it got bad. Also, then it began to mellow out.

What about you and your opponent Dan Murphy communicating in the air?

Willy: Well, we wanted to take off early so we talked at launch and agreed that if it got too crowded in the air we'd just leave the gaggle and head on down. But the first time he yelled at me to leave he was one hundred fifty feet higher than me. So there was no way I was leaving the ridge then. Afl:er that we were level with each other and neither of us wanted to leave the ridge. Then he was lower than me and I was staying up because the lift was giving out and I had a bigger glider and lighter wing loading. At the time I was hit I had at least one hundred feet over Dan. During the time I was above him I yelled down a few times that we should leave the crowd and head out and I don't blame him for not doing it because for each ofus it would have meant our spot in the Nationals. As it was, we both had already earned a spot in the Nationals before that fateful, final round.

What have you learned from this unfortunate incident?

Willy: What I wouldn't do anymore was fly an event like that. ·rhe only reason I did was because of the competition. I would never fly a

How high were you when you threw your chute?

I figure it was about one hundredeighty feet. From other pilots I've heard it could have been one fifty to two hundred feet.

It depends on from where you observed the accident.

Terry: Your chute opened and yon descended all right?

Yeah, I was OK, but I didn't sec Craig.

I never saw anything of him or his glider during the fall or saw him go in. I just heard a loud noise that sounded like an old standard luff diving into the hill.

Terry: What went through your mind m that time?

Willy: I was in complete shock! I didn't know ifhc had his chute out or anything so the first thing I did when I landed was yell for him to sec if he was OK.. I got no answer, so the next thing I did was to go to the spine oft he ridge, because I knew it was bare, and signal the other pilots in the air that I was all right. By that time Pat Denevan had already landed.

JULY1982

Pat Denevan receives an award and applause for his unselfish act of landing lo give aid lo two pilots involved in the mid·air collision. Photo by Ernie Camacho.

25

"Mid-airs are probably the biggest danger we have now.

I think it's become totally obvious that we have to have a better set of rules for flying with others." duration event in the conditions it was held in.

I'll fly a duration where the conditions are very, very marginal - when it's just gonna be a slow, sled ride down. Then the duration would be interesting. But not where there's plenty of lift left and everyone's hanging in there until it's dark. I mean, just everybody staying up and landing after dark is dangerous, with a lot of gliders coming in to land all at once.

Terry: Any comments about this whole affair?

Willy: Oh yeah, I read the article in Hang Gliding magazine. The way they wrote it, it made it look like both ofus, (Willy and Craig), we were the only ones really going for it. Well, everybody went for it there. I don't know anybody who flies competition who doesn't go for it. But that's just part of competition giving it all you've got.

The flight between Steve Brockman and Tom Lowe is the perfect example. It was strictly endurance for those two. They, along with a lot of other pilots, just would not come down. They were evenly matched. But the conditions were such that there was no way you could decide the round by a duration (endurance) event. Duration events should be run in the mornings and on sled run days.

At Elk Mountain that afternoon nobody was losing altitude fast. I understand Phil Ray was the last pilot who landed that evening and he found a whole bunch of lift over the landing zone (a rock bedded creek). Just think if there was no lift up on the mountain anymore and a whole gaggle of gliders went down to the landing zone and found lift down there? Then everybody would be over landing trying to work it and stay up. That would have been nuts! They'd all be landing in the dark on top of each other. The meet organizers had been there for a whole week. They should have known what the conditions were like at that time of day. I personally feel that flight should never have been flown.

Terry: Thank you, Willy.

DENEVAN

Terry: Was this the first Regionals to have a mid-air collision and subsequent fatality?

Pat: No, I understand there was another midair at another Regionals. His glider also folded up. It was another Comet and it, 'arrowed in' is a good description; dove straight in giving the pilot but only a moment's time to throw his parachute.

Terry: What happened to him?

Pat: I'm not sure but I think it was pretty serious if not fatal. This thing of pilots having mid-airs is much more serious than people think because the gliders we have nowadays don't just go spinning on down in a falling leaf-type fashion as they did in the past. They actually 'arrow in,' which gives you almost no time (if you're low) to throw your chute.

Makes you feel great, huh?

Terry: Just marvelous!

Pat: Mid-airs are probably the biggest danger we have now; more than anything else.

Terry: Can future mid-airs be avoided?

Pat: Yes, I know just how - education. We really couldn't have avoided it at the Regionals ('81 ). It was an unfortunate thing. But it wasn't like the task that was done was dangerous. It wasn't anything that anybody could have forseen. It wasn't as crowded as it had been when these two pilots did finally run into each other. Most everybody had been

"Willy pulled his chute and threw it right after he heard Craig yell and f eh the impact. He didn't wait to see if his glider was actually broken." flushed and there were only four pilots who were still up when this thing occurred.

Terry: Could anyone place a blame on anyone else?

Pat: No. But I would say that everybody who was up there had to yell at other people at least two or three times in order to avoid them.

They did a lot of defensive flying. So did I. The defensive flying I had to do was tough because the sun was going down. You couldn't look into the sun, but you had to look in that direction to see if there was any wind or if anyone was out there. The thermals were broken up and you really had to work it to stay inside of them.

Terry: Does the one-on-one style of competition lend itself to the possibility of mid-air collisions?

Pat: I don't think so. I really don't think it was a problem with people competing.

Everyone was trying to stay up as best they could because if it was obvious you couldn't make the first pylon it became a duration event.

Terry: What about the pilots I saw flying wingtip to wingtip in the choppy lift?

Pat: There were a lot of good pilots up there but there were also a lot of pilots who weren't so good. There were several people who really scared me good while I was flying. There were certain people I wouldn't even get near, simply because you can tell when you're flying just how dangerous somebody is by whether or not they acknowledge you when you're flying.

Since :hen Wayne Ashby, who took fourth place in the contest, and I got together and put together a program for flying in thermals and flying with other pilots.

Terry: What do you intend to do with your program?

Pat: First of all we're going to use it as a discussion and lecture. Next month, before the Nationals, we'll have people come to the shop (Mission Soaring Center). There'll be no charge for it. We'll just have people come who want to know more about thermalling with other pilots. That's really what it's called: "Thermalling With Others." We'll talk about some technique, but most of all we'll talk about thermalling in crowds. We'll have peapie walk around the room with model gliders and we'll show people methods of safe thermalling. Wayne has come up with some great ideas as to how you go about getting into a thermal with somebody else so that you're a help to them .... how to get into a thermal with someone so they know that you know how to fly well - so they say "Hah, this guy's gonna work with me!" There are certain techniques that you can use and we've got them down in our presentation. Some pilots are obstacles; others will fly right at you so you have to dodge them. A lot ofit has co do with unaware pilots who are flying.

Terry: What about whistles?

Pat: Whistles don't mean that much. You could still get trapped in a situation where you get boxed in between other gliders and end up running into someone. Whistles are not an avoidance system. They're just to let people know you're there. That doesn't necessarily mean that you know how to fly with others.

Let's say you're at the same level .... there's a certain way of entering a thermal with some(conlinued on page 46)

26

HANG GLIDING

--· ::> a: 0

LL

13 good reasons why theNE.\I\IAltimaster IV should be on your flying machine

1. PRECISION JEWEL Bl:ARINGS 2. ACCURATE 3. PRECISION GEAR TRAIN 4. TEMPERATURE COMPENSATED 5. LIGHT - 3% OUNCES 6. SMALL - 3" x 1'I." 7. RUGGED & DEPENDABLE 8.STANDARD AIRCRAFT BLACK FACE· 20,000' CAPABILITY 9.CAN BE MOUNTED ANYWHERE ( EVEN ON YOUR WRIST) 10. CAN BE ZERO'D TO ANY GROUND ELEVATION 11. QUALITY BUil T 12. SPECIFICALLY MANUFACTURED FOR ULTRALIGHTS 13. RESISTANT TO DUST AND MOISTURE

~ SSE INCORPORATED )

But the BEST reason for using the AL Tl MASTER IV is SAFETY: AL TITUOE IS PRECIOUS. KEEP TRACK OF YOURS

5801 Magnolia Avenue, Pennsauken, NJ 08109 • (609) 663-2234

Stop guessing your altitude. The AL Tl MASTER IV will tell you at a glance, accurately and reliably. Only S 89.95 at authorized SSE Dealers worlclw,de

*Dealer inquiries invited

1281

George Worthington's Book "In Search of World Records"

--•---1~- OWENS VALLEY 82 JstJMMER FL YING ADVENTURES --

_-

-

-

·-

SOARING SEMINARS • • •

"'

~"'1---

All about high adventure in cross-country soaring Over 3000 sold Learn the real meaning of the word DETERMINATION

Eleven World Records

World Records Everyone is reading and talking about this book. Over 3000 copies have been sold already. Shouldn't you order today, because sooner or later you will feel you must read it?

This is what the December issue of The Soaring Society of America's National journal "Soaring" said in its book· review: " ... Worthington's book is a shout of exultation to th?se of us who dream of the sky, the wind, the mountams ... the very act of flight."

To order, send check or money order to Hang Gliding Press, Box 22552-H, San Diego, California 92122. Prices are $9.95 for soft cover and $12.95 for library hard cover. Please add an additional $1.50 for mailing and handling. Applicable state taxes will be paid by Hang Gliding Press.

Instructional cross country flying experience - learn from the Owens Valley experts - complete transportation provic;fed - 5 day seminars.

EASTERN SIERRA SAFARIS Daily site chosen from over a dozen of the world's best fly the Inyo, White and Sierra Mountains - complete transportation and guide service - 3 and 5 day safaris.

MOUNTAIN SKY CAMP Fly into our secluded mountain base camp! - Top meadow landing and relaunch - complete transportation and guide service - base camp equipped by 4WD - 3 and 5 day expeditions.

RESERVATIONS REQUIRED - PLEASE WRITE OR CALL FOR SCHEDULES AND PRICES

Dealers for U.P., Wills, Manta, Flight Designs

OWENS VALLEY HANG GLIDING CENTER Rt. 4, Box 3A Bishop, CA 93514

(714) 873-4434

Erik Fair The l 982 So Cal League meet took place m Marshall mountain/l'inccrcst airpark on three successive weekends beginning May 8th and ending May 23rd. Rob McKcm.ic, with some help from his friends, directed the meet and dealt with all the headaches tlrnt go along with running any hang i:,;liding meet, let alone one brimming over with world class pilots. Six1ccn three man learns made up the field and aficr the eight scheduled rounds were completed there was a clear winner.

Congratulmions to the UP Sports team of' Eric Raymond, Mark Bennett, and (,enc Blythe. Seeded 111 in the meet, Raymond, Ben· ncu, and Blythe withstood stiff challenges from the /12 seeded OP-Wills Wing team, the /15 seeded Team Sensor, and Ill seeded Wind· sports learn. It was a hotly contested meet that was not decided until early in the last round when UP Spons ("\) wi1hstnod 1hc challenge Bob Trampcmm's firs! string Sensor learn.

The OP-Wills Wing team comprised of Rich Pfcifkr, Mike Meier, and Steve Pearson cap· tmed second place with six wins, losing only to the champs (twice). Five learns tied for 1hird place wi1 h fiw wins including the very im·· prcssive Sensors, two 01 her high powered Ul'· teams, and a X-Scrics team composed of Dave Gibson, Pat and Senn Smith. Flight Designs had to be disap·

Pete Brock pointed in 1he showing of their Titan team which finished with just two wins. They were fast, just as they proved at Funston, but didn't seem to climb well.

Format

or

28

TOP: The winning team! So Cal League Meet at Eric Crestline, CA 1982. Left to right Raymond, Gene Blythe and Mark Bennett. The UP factory team. ABOVE: Erik Fair of Hang Fight Systems, author and Duck Team pilot.

As usual, climbing and running was what the meet was all about. Simply put, the time· proven one-on-one, climb and run competition format was adapted to accommodate teams instead of individuals. Teams, rather than in . dividuals were seeded and paired from round to round according to the same guidelines used in individual competitions. Within a team, members were ranked J. 3 according to reputa· tion for the first round and by win/loss records for the duration of the meet. Pilot l from team A !kw pilot l from team B in individual com .. petition. /1.-2 new B-2 and fl. .. 3 flew B- 3.

Whichever team won two or more individual matchups was awarded a win and went on to fly a different team (with the same win/loss record) in the following round.

As the box scores indicate USHGA competition points were awarded to individual pilots despite the fact that it was a team meet. It should be noted that individual points were awarded to only the top 2':i pilots and that there was a significant point penalty assessed HANG GLIDING

because the meet was primarily designed to test and refine a 1cam competition format.

Speaking of individual accomplishmem, you should know that Kevin Kernohan was the on· ly pilot in the meet who was undefoated. His team finished tied for third in the standings, however, so he was not awarded the highest number of individual points. Thai honor went to Eric Raymond whose 7-1 individual record, which was compiled flying the toughest com· pct ilion round after round, earned him 412 points.

How did the whole idea of a team league get started in the face of our American proclivity for individual rather than group accomplish· ment? Well, the first So Cal League meet, which took place in 1980, was basicaJly an at· tempt by Americans to develop some scm· blancc of a 1eam competition format so that we could put an end to the annual whupping we were receiving at the hands of the British in the American up competition. Following in that tradition the participants in the 1982 League meet, notably the teams fielded by the major So Cal manufacturers, sought to forther develop and refine a team competition format so they could go about 1he business of getting together once a year to try to put a whupping on each c· er. Forget the British and everyone else. Inter-manufacturer struning of stuff was what the '82 League was all about. UP Sports and the now venerable Comet came out on top. This yenr, however, they had to work hard for it. Seems that some of the other manufacturers have decided to join the same league. Should be an interesting meet for years to come.

Kevin Kernohan, UP Comet pilot, was the only undefeated pilot in the meet Note eight wins.

Place

UP Sports (3) Wills (2)

3

Raymond Bennett Blythe Pfeiffer Pearson Meier Kernohan Greb lo Trampcnau DeGroot Grigsby Stoll Price Murphy Sheedy Young Huey Gibson Smith Burn en Mc Kellar Magnan England Tanji Luna

JULY1982

135 1'35 135 135

87 87 47 47 47

Gliden,

7

Comets

6

Ducks

Team Members (Individual Wins)

Pfeiffer (5), Meier (5), Pearson (5)

Windsports (I)

------- --- -----Comets Greb lo (6), Crrigsby (5),

UP Sports (4)

Comets

Team Sensor ( 5)

510s

Team Sensor (7)

51 Os

X·Serics ( 14)

Xs

Sheedy ('5). (i'ibson (4),

Kernohan (8), Price ('>), (4)

--,-- - ---- ----

POINTS

412 194 375 340 340 340 105 272 272 272 207 207 207 207 207

Team Wins

Stoll (5)

COMPETITION POINTS A WARDED

PILOT

Team (Seed)

4

X-Serics (6) Team Hawk (10)

4

PRO i\IR (I J)

4

ProStars

Fritz (3), l'oss (3), Shell (l)

Team Wufftl (12)

3

Ducks

Clutter, DcWolf~ Fair/Wilkins*

--- -·-------------

Wills (9)

3

Ducks

McCracken, Kells, Koller*

PRO AIR (13)

3

ProStars

Rawlings, Mead, Gordon*

6

Flight Designs (8)

2

Titans

Racanelli, Bulger, Brown/Brockman*

7

X-Series 6) 2 -------·----------X-Scrics ( 15) Renshaw*

'lncJividual wins not available.

15

29

NEWLY ACQUIRED USHGA RATINGS AND APPOINTMENTS Name, City, State

BEGINNER Name, City, State Brian Scharp, Sebastopol, CA Pam Turner, Sebastopol, CA Terri G. Dockter, Sacramento, CA Steven Hess, Pasadena, CA Don Williams, Brecksville, OH Kirt Williams, Brecksville, OH Randy O'Conner, Columbus, OH Stanley Ward, Portsmouth, VA Trevor Harding, San Jose, CA Ken Pedersen, Union City, CA Derry L. Hoffman, Parkville, MO Wayne Prementine, Whitaker, PA Ken Schreck, FPO San Francisco, CA Clarence Stanback, Salisbury, NC Robert B. Thomson, Burlington, NJ Kim A. Schutt, Des Plaines, IL David A. Sprecker, Jr. Goodland, KS Max Behensky, Boston, MA Dennis Loosli, Fremont, CA Kate Bretz, Verona, PA Don Sweepe, Linwood, WA Bob Mars, Chehalis, WA John Schaefer, Seattle, WA Mark Nadolski, Sunnyvale, CA Brett Avery, Mt. View, CA J. Kelly Vickers, Honolulu, HI Conrad Erkelens, Honolulu, HI Ken Lamb, Phoenix, AZ Brian Blair, Albuquerque, NM Martin Drinan, Blackstone, IL Russell Berglund, Cromwell, CT Mark Matta, Southington, CT Robert Sagherion, Avon, CT Joseph M. Perry, Pittsburgh, PA Richard H. Busch, Bethesda, MD William H. Russell, Hollywood, FL David M. Pogue, Houston, TX Donn Martin Baumgartner, Houston, TX Robert Coleman, Houston, TX Jim Keller, Kresson, NJ

Region 2 2 2

3 9 9 9 9 2 2 6 9 2 10 12

7 6

8 2 9 1

2 2

3 3 4 4 7 8 8 8 9 9 10 11 11 11 12

Jerry Poe, Ventura, CA Dave Ruppel, Costa Mesa, CA James M. Aaron, Valencia, CA Orio Schultz, Union Lake, MI William R. McElwee, Trenton, NJ Carl Boddie, Houston, TX Tom D. Shepherd, Wichita, KS Mike Brown, Atkinson, NH C. Daniel Rauch, Bala Cynwyd, PA Ron Simmons, Port Orchard, WA April S. Preston, Vancouver, WA Larry Bjerke, Vancouver, WA Ron Ober, Novato, CA Tom Brabant, Kansas City, MO Brian John Black, Rock Springs, WY Mike Veax, Woodbridge, VA Stephen G. Mann, Dallas, TX Jim Painter, Pittsburgh, PA Duane J. Hamrick, Olympia, WA Kerrie Peck, San Francisco, CA Stanley Karnes, Jr., Tustin, CA Mike Fink, Carlsbad, CA Steve Morris, Ventura, CA Mike Ellsworth, Phoenix, AZ Tony Boccio, Breckenridge, CO Thomas C. Gardner, Salt Lake City, UT Paul Aldridge, Tulsa, OK Ricky T. Wade, Roanoke, VA Don Steaples, Austin, TX Bobby Perry, West Grove, PA James R. Ewing, Hayward, CA David E. Witten, Norman, OK Larry Reinking, Albuquerque, NM Sherwood N. Hamill, Lakewood, CO Larry Kaplan, Palatine, IL Ken Beierlein, St. Clair Shores, MI Terrance, Chenot, Cowansville, PA Lawrence G. Battaile, Nags Head, NC Mitchell R. Whatley, Lafayette, LA Robert Raynow, Shrub Oak, NY

Name, City, State Joanne O'Donnell, San Diego, CA Daryl Miller, Havre, MT David Harris, Renton, WA

30

Region 3 5

3 3 3 7 12 11 6

8 9

2 6

5 9 11 9 1 2

3 3 3 4 4 4 6 9 11 9 2 6

4 4 7 7 9 10 11 12

INTERMEDIATE Name, City, State

Novice

Name, City, State

Region

JeffBicak, Daly City, CA Dieter H. Goerke, Inglewood, CA Roderick Newton, Santa Barbara, CA Don S. Zellet, Santa Barbara, CA John Green, Phoenix, AZ Jeff A. Shanklin, Indianapolis, IN Wendy Ligeti, North Brookfield, MA

Region 2

3 3 3

4 7 8

Region

Robert W. Bockstahler, Ontario, CA 3 10 Bill Bethea, Greenville, SC 7 G. Bruce Carlson, Eden Prarie, MN Rodney A. Stewart, Grand Rapids, MI 7 10 Tracy Gasperini, Ft. Bragg, NC 12 George Horeth, Rochester, NY Kevin Bukovy, N. Vancouver, Foreign B.C., Canada 5 Mick Jimmerson, Billings, MT 2 Mike Mahoney, Healdsburg, CA 2 Janet MacDonald, Oakland, CA 2 Daniel S. Brown, Reedley, CA 2 Douglas Groenhout, Santa Rosa, CA 2 Brian Robbins, Santa Rosa, CA 3 David Hoerner, Tustin, CA 3 Gregory Beyer, Vista, CA 3 Steven R. Luria, Santa Barbara, CA 4 Lowell B. Kunkee, Broomfield, CO 4 Neal D. Atkinson, Boulder, CO 7 Richard Wagner, Princeton, IL 9 Karl L. Heinz!, Alexandria, VA 9 Wayne S. Perry, West Grove, PA 12 Greg Underberg, Springville, NY 12 Harry J. Mills, Montgomery, NY 3 Arnold Jorgensen, Salinas, CA 2 Marcos Chamoum, Daly Clty, CA

Advanced Name, City, State

Region

Albert Bitker, Evanston, WY 5 Claud Dill, Swink, OK 6 Carl Fleckner, Dodgeville, WI 7 R. Duane Henry, Indianapolis, IN 7 Roland Alexander, Orlando, FL 10 Chris Roberts, Ashville, NC 10 Steve Ridley, Emv. Plains, NSW, Australia Foreign Steven Abell, Emv. Plains, Foreign NSW, Australia John Happy, Emv. Plains, NSW, Australia Foreign William J. Carrol, Townsend, MA 8 Chris Bailey, Lacey, WA 1 John Zurlinden, LaCrescenta, CA 3 3 John R. Denike, Covina, CA Phil Haynes, Claremont, NH 8 12 Jeffrey Brault, Ilion, NY 2 Norman Castagneto, Ft. Ord, CA 10 Thomas Pendergraft, Fayetteville, NC 2 William Rusin, Carmel, CA

HANG GLIDING

Brian O'Kelly, Bakersfield, CA 3 James H. Mock, Tucson, AZ 4 Mike Spisak, Westville, IL 7 8 Jess Pauley, Falmouth, MA Clement Smolder II, Charleston, W. VA 9 12 Michael T. Mills, Montgomery, NY Stanley Roy, Palmwoods, Australia Foreign Gregory Jones, Eugene, OR 1 Platon Courouvacalis, Athens, Greece Foreign 4 Amado Summers, Santa Fe, NM

OFFICIALS Examiner Name, City, State Mike King, Nampa, ID Ted Gilmore, Mission Hills, KS Robert Black, Liberty, MO Dave Prevatt, Emporia, KS Don True, Hutchinson, KS Chuck Hall, Oklahoma Clty, OK Roy Mahoney, Poteau, OK Vic Ayers, Glen Burnie, MD

Region 5 6 6

6 6 6

6 9

Observer James Graham, Santa Barbara, CA Greg Phillips, Scottsdale, AZ Derek Craig Howard, Phoenix, AZ Richard Hoffman, Rochester, NY Ben Espinosa, West Covina, CA Jack Davis, Tucson, AZ Dave Dixon, Costa Mesa, CA Steven Fry, Laguna Niguel, CA JeffKrolopp, Santa Ana, CA David Jenn, Fullerton, CA Gytis Tamulaitas, Huntington Beach, CA Gaston Servant, Wheaton, MD Steve Alford, Kirkland, WA Judi Nielsen, San Francisco, CA Larry Smith, Flagstaff, AZ Bill Maurer, Whitehall, PA Joseph Horton, Quakertown, PA Carmen Cappella, N. Brunswick, NJ Dennis Walker, Morganton, NC Mike Lake, Nevada City, CA Warren Puckett, Odessa, TX

4 4 12 3 4 3 3 3

9 I 2 4 9 9 12 I0 2 11

Instructors (Basic) David Yanashot, Scranton, PA Paul Whitehill, Daly City, CA

9 2

Special Observers Jack Davis, Tucson, AZ JULY1982

4 31

The foot-launched Mitchell Wing is by far the highest performance hang glider in the world. It could be made even better with just a fraction of the talent and time now being spent on rogallo improvements.

So why is it that foot-launched Mitchell Wings (MW) are scarcer than hen's teeth?

There are a lot of possible reasons, and some of them are quite valid. There is also the possibility that the MW reputation has unjust· ly suffered in some unknown manner during the six years of its existence. It is due to this latter possibility that it is felt that the time is right to set the record straight. I have waited until now to write this particular article, because of the fact that I owned a MW and felt that the praise I was bound to give it might be misunderstood. Now I have sold the ship and can speak out.

Does the MW get higher than any other hang glider? No. My experience has been that during about 20 invidividally good days at Torrey Pines the MW had about 30% of the hang gliders above it, and about 70% below it.

But while 100% of those hang gliders were at or near 22 mph best sink speed, the MW was doing 32 at minimum sink airspeed. An even greater difference in performance is available

32

when both types are speeded up a bit, to best LID speed. Perhaps the best testimony exists in actual cross-country conditions. On one occasion, I crossed the W cstgard Pass area, in the Owens Valley, from south to north with no disccrnable tail wind in very calm air, and with no thermals. There were no clouds in the area of the crossing. This particular straight glide distance was 17 miles. The glide was begun at 17,000 feet. I reached a point over Black Mountain, and still had 10,500 feet. In other words, 17 miles were flown, with no turns, with the loss of only 6500 feet! On other occasions I have had successful flights from Gunter and Cerro Gordo when the wind conditions were well above those deemed safe for rogallos. And during those flights the MW seemed to climb, often straight ahead, on a course parallel with the mountains, when I knew from long tough experience in rogallos that they would not have done so.

I am disappointed and sad that J flew the MW so infrequently and on so few record attempts, although the reasons arc understandable. The wing itself, as distinguished from the cage underneath, is fairly hard to repair because there arc no MW repair-services available in my area. I always knew that if I ever HANG GLIDING

damaged the wing structure (and I never did in 168 flights) the wing would have to be delivered to San Francisco (from San Diego or from Owens Valley) and later to Porterville, when the factory moved there. This meant the possible involvement of considerable time and money. There was a constant nagging reluctance in my mind about flying the MW and taking the risk of damaging the wing. I always owned and flew rogallos during the five years during which I owned and flew the MW. From a repair point of view, there was a vast diflerence. I am able to make some minor repairs to rogallos, and if need be, there are many repair facilities near my home. Also I have needed rogallo-repair-by-profossionals on more than a few occasions throughout the past eight years. Thus it was super evident that I can make errors and mistakes resulting in accidents which necessitate repairs by the pros.

And if that is true, it was logically only a matter of time before a repair of the MW would be required if I flew it often enough. This "repair" problem would nor have existed if I had built the MW instead of having it built by the designer Don Mitchell. If you build a ship, you can repair it. But I'm not a builder, and will never be a builder. It takes a proper apprenticeship and also time. Frankly, I would rather fly than build. For many of you, this is not the case. I know that a great many pilots would be willing to spend the time in building a ship if they were certain that the finished product would be "the best in the world."

That's what this article is all about.

Why is the performance of the MW so superior? Because it has cantilever construction that is, no wires, king post, nor struts also because it has no drag or weight created by having a tail. It is a flying wing. Also it has a much more uniform and smooth wing shape than any other foot-launched air-machine.

Does it have any kind of instability problem which is sometimes rumored to be associated with flying wings? No. Why? Because of the unique design of the elcvons. They are carried below the trailing edge of the wing and retain an important degree of control-authority even after the wing itself has reached stall speed.

The size of the elevons, plus their method of connection to the control stick, and their direction and degree of movement are also beauti·· fully designed to do a very efficient job.

Can the MW handle the roughest Owens Valley thermals and turbulence? Yes. Ab· solutely! I have flown the MW in some extremely rough air, and have found that it

TOP: Howard Long's Mitchell Wing 111 tha 1976 Nationals. Note spoilers (no lip rudders) 1111d pilot's body partly Inside wing. LEFT: launching the wing. Nole hang cage. Photos by Bettina

Gray.

JULY1982

handles such turbulence better than any rogallo.

Can the MW climb as well as a rogallo? I believe it can. Sometimes, in certain high wind conditions, it climbs much better. My average cross-country speeds in the MW have always been 20 to 30% higher than those (along the same general route) in the rogallos.

Is the MW heavier than the rogallo? Not any more. My MW weighed 70 lbs. The new rogallos weigh about the same or more.

Is the MW capable of car-top portability?

Absolutely. The first MW owner-pilot, Dr. Howard Long, had the practice of placing the MW (with the cage ofl) on top of some padding on the roof of his car, tying the ends down to the bumpers and driving at normal highway speeds. He had no cover for it and didn't seem to mind the sun or rain, because he regularly left it on top of his car. When I saw Howard Long's MW, after he had owned it for over a year, it seemed in perfect shape with no visible deterioration. I took a far more cautious approach, probably much too cautious. On the other hand, my MW, after five years of use, still looks like new. It was always covered when not in use.

Is the MW tiring to fly? No. It is far less tiring than a rogallo, because immediately after takeoff the pilot's body is cased into a very comfortable hammock, and no further weight shift is used until final approach on landing.

The control slick and wing-tip rudders arc moved easily, smoothly, and cflicicntly because of excellent design.

Is it easy and safe to make takeofis and landings in the MW in all the conditions which are used for rogullos. Ycs, absolutely for the takeoff, and no, not quire as easy, for the landing. I feel safer during takeoff in all conditions (especially high-wind conditions) in the MW than in the rogallo. The landing situation is not quite as good. The MW has a very gentle predictable stall. It has shown no tendency to drop a wing tip. But in a no-wind landing, the pilot. must take about six or seven very fast running steps in slowing down and transferring all of the weight from the air to his legs. In practice, on practice hills, I was able to handle no-wind landings in every case. However, after three or more hours of llight, my legs and coordination would not usually handle a nowind, nor a light-wind landing condition.

Usually I'd take two or three running steps and fall down. I was never hurt or even bruised. The impact was gentle. The forward vertical tubes (half inch chrome-molly) were sometimes slightly bent. One of the horizontal "arm-pit-tubes" (2-inch aluminum) was twice broken - a quick simple replacement, which I could accomplish alone with just a drill and rivit gun. But it must be clearly pointed out that I am average-to-below in the talents re· quired to land foot-launched air machines.

This is easily verified by the fact rhat J do a great deal of practice at Torrey Pines in a

33

rogallo, and yet can never come near the landing grace, performance, or ability of more than a dozen other pilots (for example John Levy and Bill Floyd). Therefore, it is totally logical to conclude that many pilots because of youth, strength, and ability could make far better landings under much more difficult situations after they had learned to fly the MW than I could. Just watch Bill Floyd, sometime, by actuating both rudders with perfect timing and grace. I feel sure that the MW has as much capability of being landed as expertly as the Fledge II. I was never able or willing to try using both rudders simultaneously for landing the MW. But I'm sure, when done properly, it would be very effective.

If, for some reason, such as "previous damage," the rudders of the MW, or the elevons should become inoperative, would this be dangerous and render the ship uncontrollable? No. Absolutely not. One one flight, because of previous unrepaired damage, a MW pilot (1976) lost one of his elevons. It came off in flight. He landed safely and easily.

On another flight (1978) a glued part of the rudder-cable-housing broke off in flight while I was in the MW. I was extremely nervous and apprehensive, because I had thereby lost all use of the rudders. Then I found out that the MW was still totally controllable (though it did a slight bit of yawing in the turns (and made a perfect landing without the use of rudders.

What about the use of a parachute to save the pilot, in case of a mid-air or some other catastrophy? The use of a parachute is just as applicable to the MW as it is to any other hang glider. I liked having a chest mounted, special light-weight, drogue-type parachute attached to a special harness, all made by Jim Handbury and Gary Douris. All I had to do, in case of trouble while flying the MW, was undo a bit of velcro on the hammock, raise my arms, and I would slip quickly out of the MW. Then I could pull the rip cord. Since I wasn't attached to the ship by a carabiner or any other means, the exit could be very speedy and efficient.

What about assembly and disassembly time as compared to a rogallo? The MW is faster.

The wing tips are hinged. Just fold'em out, in· sert three pins, tape the gap (slap on two-inch· wide masking tape to close the one inch gap}.

The elevons are already connected and ready to go. Insert each rudder and pin it. Insert the control stick and fly. I have flown the ship without taping the gaps, and could discern no difference. But I'm sure there is a performance difference, even though it may be relatively small.

Can the MW be launched by the pilot alone without assistance? Yet it can. In order to prove this to myself, I landed one day at Torrey Pines and, completely unassisted, walked with the MW from the point of landing to the

34

cliff edge and took off again. I was then 59 years old.

I think we've covered most areas of operational requirements and other comparisons between the MW and the rogallo. Are there any unfavorable aspects of owning and flying a MW? Yes. Mainly two of them. First a pilot will normally want to build his MW from an excellent kit which is provided. (But if he desires, he can pay extra, and have the factory build it.) It takes a good amount of time and effort to build one. Like any first-time-task, the time and effort could be cut by 50% on the second one, and by 80% on the fourth. The point is, it is only hard because you've never done it, and because you have no "experienced builder" guiding you. The second problem with the MW is even more serious. There are no places where a pilot can get MW instruction. The ship is easy to learn to fly, with proper instruction, and at an adequate site. It is extremely hazardous (to the ship mainly) and difficult to teach yourself to fly a MW. The factory discourages pilots from trying to build a foot-launch MW. The factory pilots do not ever fly or even own a foot-launch version. As far as I know, the only foot-launch MW in the world is the one I recently sold to Chuck Rhodes. It was an ideal sale, because I didn't have to worry about the problems which would be facing Chuck in learning to fly it. He had previously flown a foot-launch Icarus V, which is far more difficult to learn, and yet which is almost identical to the MW in cagelayout. Chuck should have an easy and safe time in transitioning to the MW, and he should love the major increase in performance over the Icarus V. Don Partridge and Tom Kreyche have said that a MW could compete in l 982's X-C Classic, providing the owner provided his own transport up the mountain. Boy oh boy, what an opportunity, if someone had a MW ready on July 1st! The MW, flown by somebody like Pfeiffer, Tudor, Burnett, or Moyes would absolutely smoke the rest of the competition. It is

always fun and exciting to have a machine that you know is much much better than anything which the competition may have.

Why did I sell my MW? Because I'm 62, easily intimidated by difficulties, and because I certainly do not now (at 62) possess nearly enough talent to handle the problem of landing in all the areas and conditions that the rogallo can and does use for landing.

And finally, does the MW have a good potential for setting official and unofficial world record distance flights? Wow! Yes! If a pilot can fly 168 miles in a rogallo, someone could fly 250 miles in a MW. It's that much better. There should logically be 1,000 MW's flying in the U.S., instead of just one. No pilot can say he wouldn't love to have the performance.

And there is a bonus. If you happen to like ultralight flying, you can buy a factory landing gear and engine, and by removing four bolts, you can convert your foot launch MW into an Ultralight B-10. This conversion from foot launch to powered ultralight would take less than five minutes.

It is hoped that some of the misconceptions, ignorance, and inaccurate rumors about the MW have been dispelled. The ship deserves much much better than it has gotten so far.

Editor's Note: In the November 1978 issue of Hang Gliding we ran an article on the JB-2, a rigid wing camilever hang glider similar to the Mitchell Wing. This glider, however, had a 32-foot span and a constant jive-foot chord. It also had a thicker symmetrical ailfoil. With its 160 square feet of area and the ai1joil described, its launch and landing characteristics were much more comparable to a flex wing. The constant chord also made construction much easier. U11fort1111ately the JB-2 was destroyed in a mid-ah; the pilot parach111ing to safety. I saw this glider fly on a number of occasions and had the impression that its pe1formance was comparable to the MW. What happened to the rigid wing movement? If you're involved let us know. Perhaps it's time for a revival. ..,.

HANG GLIDING

USHGA MERCHANDISE ORDER FORM

8-2

B-3 8-4 8-5 8-6 8-7 8-8 8-9 81

B-10 8-5

BOOKS

QUANTITY 8-1

B-11 B-6

8-12 8-13 8-14 8-15 B-16 B-17

PRICE

THE COMPLETE OUTFITTING & SOURCE BOOK FOR HANG GLIDING

by Michael Mendelson. History, models. acces., public organizations. schools. sites.

USHGA INSTRUCTORS CERTIFICATION MANUAL Complete requirements. syllabus. teaching methods.

HANG FLIGHT by Joe Adelson & Bill Williams. Third Edit. Flighl instruction manual. 100 pgs.

HANG GLIDING by Dan Poynter. 8th Edition. Basic Handbook for skysurfing.

MAN-POWERED FLIGHT by Keith Sherman. History & modern technology, design considerations.

HANG GLIDING ANO FLYING CONDITIONS by Dennis Pagen.

Micrometerology for pilots. 90 Illustrations.

HANG GLIDING AND FLYING SKILLS. by Dennis Pagen Beginners to experts instruction manual.

HANG GLIDING FOR ADVANCED PILOTS. by Dennis Pagen. Techniques for cross-country, competition & powered flight.

POWERED ULTRALIGHT AIRCRAFT. by Dennis Pagen. Complete instruction manual.

GUIDE TO ROGAtLO BASIC. by Bob Skinner. Handbook for beginning pilots. 30 pgs.

MANNED KITING. by Dan Poynter. Handbook on tow launch flying.

MAN-POWERED AIRCRAFT. by Don Dwiggins. 192 pg. history ol flight. Features flight of Gossamer Condor.

FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS FOR PILOTS. 1980 Edition.

Hang gliding pertinent information.

FAI SPORTING CODE FOR HANG GLIDING. Requirements for records. achievements & world championships.

TORREY PINES. by Don Betts. photos by Bettina Gray. Rules. regulations. history of Torrey Pines.

HANG GLIDING MANUAL & LOG. by Dan Poynter. For beginners.

An asset to instructors. 24 pgs.

USHGA OFFICIAl FLIGHT LOG. 40 pgs. Pocket size. skills signoffs (all levels). glossary of terms. awards

AMOUNT

S 7.95 S 2.00 S 3.50

S 6.50 S 6.50 S 6.50 S 6.50

S 7.50

S 8.50 S 2.75 S 4.35

S 6.50 S 3.98

S 100 S 2.50 S 1.50

S 2.95

ITEMS 1-lA 1-18 1-2 1-1A----

1-3

'1

\

1-4

1-5--

1-5 1-6 1-7

1-8

1-10 1-11

··NEW" USHGA 'HANG GLIDING' T-SHIRT. 100% heavyweight cotton. WHITE only. Men's sizes: S M L X-L !CIRCLE ONE!.

Women's sizes (French cut) S M L !CIRCLE ONE].

USHGA EMBLEM T-SHIRT. 100% heavyweight cotton. ORANGE or LIGHT BLUE. Men's sizes only.SM L X-L !CIRCLE SIZE & COLOR].

USHGA EMBLEM CAP. One size fits all. Baseball type/USHGA emblem. NAVY. ORANGE. GOLD !CIRCLE COLOR]. .. NEW .. USHGA BELT BUCKLE. Solid bronze. custom design, relief sculpture. 311, x 21/, USHGA SEW-ON EMBLEM. 3'" dia .. full color (red wings, sunburst w/black print).

USHGA EMBLEM DECAL. 3'1," dia .. full color.

USHGA EMBLEM PENDANT. W' dia. Pewter w/silver chain USHGA BUTTON/PIN. 1V, dia .. full color.

WALLET. Nylon. velcro closure. mach. washable. water resistant. ROYAL BLUE color.

BUMPER STICKER. "Have you hugged your hang glider loday" Blue on white

S 6.50

S 6.50 S 6.50 S 5.00 $12.00

S 1.00

s .25

S 3.00

s .10 S 8.95 S 1.40

B-17 1-6

Ordering Information: All prices include postage and handling. (Prices subject to change without notice.)

Enter quantity and price ol each item ordered. Allow 3-4 weeks delivery 18 weeks for Foreign). All orders are mailed by the cheapest available rate. If you wish to receive your order faster, please include sufficient postage funds. No C.0.D.'s.

Foreign Orders: USHGA will ONLY accept foreign checks payable on a U.S. bank in U.S. funds.

N A M E - - - - - - - - - USHGA # _ _ __ (Please Print)

ADDRESS CITY _ _ _ _ __

STATE _ _ _ ZIP _ __

NO CHARGE ITEMS USHGA MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM 114)

USHGA POWERED ULTRALIGHT RATING (PART 105)

USHGA MERCHANDISE ORDER FORM (µJ4)

ACCIDENT REPORT FORM (115)

USHGA LILIENTHAL AWARD FOAM

SOURCES OF DEALERS. SCHOOLS. ETC (#8)

USHGA BASIC SAFETY REGULATIONS (Part 100)

Specify state _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

USHGA PILOT PROFICIENCY PROGRAM (Part 104)

MAIL WITH CHECK OR MONEY ORDER TO: USHGA, PO BOX 66306, LOS ANGELES, CA 90066

It seems like hang gliding keeps bet· tcr and better, and if the Christian Care Cup hang gliding competition run on April 17 and 18 is any example, we're in for one heck of a year! Sponsored the Arizona Hang Crliding Association, this inaugurated cvelll was organized for two purposes: (1) have a good 1ime, and (2) earn money 10 he donated to the kitchen fund of Christian Care, an old folks home that owns the landing zone at Shaw Butte. Both ends met with great success; $'.JOO was prescmcd 10 Christian Care, and pilots went crazy in the hcs1 conditions ever for an Arizona hang gliding competition.

For the first weekend in months Mother Nature smiled and followed Jim Howell's forecast: 90 °, clear skies, and low pressure.

Flight service forecast SW winds alolt with a thermal index of .() at 5000' and some in· Right onl pilo1s were trucked up the hill at 10 AM, immediately after a briefing meet organizers Kovach and Bob Thompson. A 30·minutc duration, pylon, spot landing task was chosen for the light winds. To surprise, the light winds were going straight up, and above Shaw Bu1tc was rcminis· soon the cent of C,unthcr launch in the Owens Several gaggles of'up 10 a dozen gliders floated around iu the houyant air, many gaining Eve to six thousand fret. Some got a strong itch 10 go cross·country, hut stuck around to max the duration and pylon points, thus leaving the first round Lo he determined spot landing accuracy.

Gliders were broken down and rushed hack to the top of the mountain in record time as open X-C/clurntion, spot landing were called and everyone want cd some of 1hat good air.

I ,ike most good thermal foast or famine was 1he name oft he game. Some foiled 1o read the condi1ions and fkw well trimmed bricks to 1he LZ. 01 hers cored giant blue t hcrmals and headed northeast as colorful specks in 1hc cloudless Slowly wmd began to filler back: Rik Fri1z landed at Rawhide ( 12 miles), Derck Howard got to Carefree (17 miles), Bill Comstock at Tonto Hills (24 miles), ( ,ary Waugh ended up three miles short of the Verde River (24 miles), John Johnson, Glen Wales, Travis Olroyd, Dave Smith, and Dan Roosevelt all landed at the golf course at Rio Verde (26 miles), and Phil Richards opted for an extra mile, landing on the shoreline of the Verde River (27 miles). Meanwhile, David Evans Brown were circling high over and Bartlet I I ,akc (10 miles). David decided that the Mazatzal Mountain rnnge was too big a gamble and landed nt the boat ramp. wcn1 for i1, an easy path at 9,000 to 11,000 foet MSL, and coasted over Mt. Ord to a landing a fow miles short of np 52 miles, first for the dinner from his landing witnesses.

36

article aml

Bob

with everyone 1 AM, Gary . I arrived Brown was one of the last to arrive, just in time for the pilot meeting. Strong dnst devils 9:30 and there were good up Another grcai X·C day was on the way. However, when conditions arc great early at the Butte, you had best gel air· born early.

Even though good condi1 ions prevailed no one wanted to be first; the prevailing thought

John Johnson showing good pilot would gel going so he could catch

was that it could only get better. Constant prodding by Thompson to get airborne was me1 with skepticism and cat calls. John Johnson volunteered to make a wind dummy fligh1 and fi.mnd good thermals at every turn. except Gary Waugh.Gary Still no believers lmmched into the late morning air amidst dis· believing pilots silting, waiting for better con· ditions. C,ary specked out, then Glen Walt:s gave it a try. Soon he was gone, too.

The trnp was set. You see, at Shaw Butte when it's good early, there is usually a giant

form in his 135 Comet. ABOVE: Glen Wales wishing the nexl great thermal at launch.

HANG GLIDING

RESULTS

Place, Name, Glider

Points

X-C Miles

2112

73.5

1955

52

1722

53. 5

1060

27

1045

26

1001

26

875

26

865

26

1. David Evans

Dana Roosevelt launches his 11 M at the beginning of a 26-mile X-C.

lull during the normally best time of l :30 to 2:30. The "magic" hour arrived, and soon the lemmings were parading off the cliff into the sea of sink. For added insult, the down air provided all but four pilots with substantially less than glorious landings. Spectators were treated to an incredible display of crunch landings, and pilots tallied up lots of negative points.

Somehow, among the throngs madly rushing to core the sink, Gary Brown and David Evans managed to read the wind socks right and cored some good thermals. Gary' was tired and decided to sit on his incredible lead. (I believe a hare said that to a tortoise once upon a time!) David, kicking himself for not crossing the Mazatzal Mountains with Gary' on Saturday headed out with a long flight in mind. He got it, just squeaking to a top landing on the Four Peaks Road with 50 feet tn spare. David had flown more than 43 miles.

Meanwhile, back at the Butte, Gary Brown and the rest of the crowd found some sink.

Gary missed the target and ended up with 1,955 points. Once again the wait was on.

Could anyone catch Gary Brown's lead? Glen Wales wandered back; he spaced out and just flew around town for a while, landing next to Barry Goldwater's house. Ha\'e you ever tried to thumb a ride back with the Secret Seffice?

Gary Waugh returned with documentation showing he had f1own almost to Apache Junction (33 miles) which gave him 1,722 points.

With all the competing pilots finished for the day and all the scores tallied except for David Evans, meet co-organizers and workers decided to get in some free flying. Larry opted to stick around and Bob headed out NE in a late thermal. Returning from a quick 26-mile JULY 1982

X-C Bob found the sun setting, the sky full of free f1yers and still no David Evans. Finally after 9 PM he returned with the word of his flight to Four Peaks (43.5 miles). It was Monday before it was determined that David had beaten Gary by only a few points.

Tuesday night brought the Awards Partv at the Village Inn Pizza Parlor with David Evans getting the big first place trophy, Gary Brown getting both the trophy for second and also the trophy for the outstanding f1ight of the meet, and Gary Waugh got the third place trophy. Another Comet sweep.

A few other awards were announced: Miles Fagerlie won the speed run (it was supposed to be a duration event, but his Oly 160 came down a tad faster than all the other double surface ships!), Rik Fritz won the beauty contest with his custom sail ProStar, Bill Nightwine copped the "Double Vision" award for missing both targets and nearly landing on Derck Howard's Comet, Dan Roosevelt took the "Hot Rod Antique" award for a sixth place finish in his three-year-old Seagull 1 lM, and pylon judge Mark Fuge was given the Eternal Optimist Award for trying to score 20 gliders at 4,000 feet AGL when he couldn't see the colors. And thus the best hang gliding contest e\·er held at Shaw Butte came to a close. \Xlhat had started out as an old-fashioned duration, pylon, spot landing, keep-thespectators-happy contest ended up being determined by cross-country flights. Ironically, neither David nor Gary had entered the 1982 Arizona X-C contest yet, thus their f1ights did not count towards the big one with cash prizes. Maybe they were both waiting for conditions to pick up at Arizona's Quartzite.

165 Comet 2. Gary Brown 165 Comet 3. Gary Waugh 185 Comet 4. Phil Richards 180 ProAir 5. Travis Olroyd 180 ProAir 6. Dana Roosevelt l lM Seagull 7. Glen Wales 177 Harrier 8. John Johnson 135 Comet 9. John Leslie 165 Comet 10. Bob Buxton 180 ProAir 11. Bill Comstock 165 Comet 12. Derek Howard 165 Comet 13. Brad Green 180 ProAir 14. Bruce Adams 147 Harrier 15. Bruce Ruefer 165 Comet 16. Rik Fritz 160 ProStar 17. Rob Murray Voyager 18. Andy Rockhold 165 Comet 19. Riki Aber 140 ProAir 20. Gene Evans 165 Comet 21. Hans Haydrich 165 Comet 22. Miles Fagerlie 160 Olympus 23. Dennis Bump 210 Sensor 24. Bill Nightwine 180 Demon 25. Jim Whitelaw 135 Comet 26. Jane Galuski 140 ProAir 27. Dan Romero 160 ProStar 28. Greg Phillips 180 - X Dave Smith 177 Harrier Bob Thompson 165 Comet

780 740 738

24

541

17

525 520 491 480

12

420 401 361 298 267 l day only 261 185 184 174 1 day only 151 110 1 day only 0 (crashed) free f1ying free flying

...

26 26

37

Progressive Aircraft Company: A Consumer Report.

ProfileProgressive Aircraft Company, in its second year of operation is fast becoming a leader in the hang gliding industry, and a standard by which other high quality/ high performance gliders are judged.

Based in Simi Valley, California, just outside of Los Angeles, Progressive Aircraft Company has grown from a limited production/factory direct policy to a worldwide dealer-distribution network.

The factory now houses the complete operation, from original machine shop work, to complete sail loft and fabrication area. Manned by only the best personnel, the factory runs with professional precision that guarantees consistently superior gliders.

Pride is the feeling in the ProAir factory.

Pride in the fact that the Progressive Aircraft Company gliders are the finest produced in the world today.

QualityQuality is the general theme in the complete line of Progressive Aircraft Company products. Only the finest aicraft materials and expensive Delrin plastics are used in the construction of the gliders. Each part is expertly machined to an exacting design, a design carefully engineered for optimum performance in each of the ProAir gliders. All gliders are carefully test flown to meet the high ProAir standards.

This concern for quality is maintained throughout all of the Progressive Aircraft Company products, a line that runs from the new ProLite Parachute and Harness to varios and helmets.

Product LineProgressive Aircraft Company offers the versatility of three lines of gliders, each designed for varying degrees of pilot expertise and available in different sizes to cover all weights of pilots.

The Breez Designed for the beginning and intermediate pilot, it offers the advantage of tight sail-fixed air foil performance while retaining the ease and forgiveness of the beginning glider. Now offered in two sizes to fit all pilot weight ranges, this glider is being used in the finest schools and has been found the best glider for training beginning and intermediate students.

Special features allow the glider to "grow" with the pilot as his skills improve. Advertising for The Breez states "The Breez, truly a glider for the experts of tomorrow," and with all the standard features, it's the best value on the market today.

The ProAir This has been the flagship of the Progressive Aircraft Compay fleet. When introduced to the hang gliding market it immediately set new sales records and standards the industry has yet to match.

Each component was designed and redesigned to assure complete function with the whole. The ProAir offers a wide selection of color combinations and the guarantee of long-lasting sails with its use of the cord wise sail cut. This process is considerably more time consuming, but assures the sail will retain proper camber and shape for its entire flying life. The ProAir excels in handling and performance, allowing the recreational pilot many hours of pleasurable, troublefree flying.

The ProStar This is the highest performing of all the Progressive Aircraft company gliders.

Designed for the expert and competition pilot, it offers a superior sink rate and excellent glide. It features the innovative hard ware of the ProAir, a higher aspect ratio and lower twist sail, and the crisp, precise handling and response the compe-

titian pilot demands. The body is made of a special white sail cloth with trailing edge reinforcement. The keel pocket velcros in the front to provide storage areas for cross country flights. Both the ProStar and the ProAir use heavy 14 mil mylar in the leading edges for precise camber support. It is now available in three sizes to meet the exact wing loading demands of the competition pilot.

All three gliders, the Breez, theProAir and the ProStar use interchangeable airframes and 12-foot breakdown for ease of shipping and storage.

AccessoriesProgressive Aircraft Company also handles a large accessory line and features the ProLite Harness and Parachute. Tshirts, hats, and stickers are all available with the ProAir logo.

CertificationThe ProAir crew have complete testing facilities that include a load test vehicle, a pitch test vehicle, cameras and airspeed indicators; everything needed for certification. Additionally, seven years of experience on the HGMA board (one year as president and three years as secretary) goes into every package presented.

DistributionProgressive Aircraft Company gliders and accessories are rapidly gaining professional dealer networks across the world. Inquiries by new dealerships are invited, and literature is available detailing features and specifications. Call or write Progressive Aircraft Company, 4544 Industrial Street, Simi Valley, CA 93063, (805) 583-1014.

Progressive Aircraft. Company Fly One

far••~11sslv• aircraft company

TheBreez Progressive Aircraft Company's new glider, designed especially for the beginning and int~ mediate pilot. It offers the advantage of tight sail:fi.red air foil performance while retaining the ease and forgiveness of the beginning glider. Built with the same quality and precision as the ProAir and ProStar, the Breez comes in nvo duferent sizes to fit all pilot 1'1/eight ranges. Its price of$1695 includes applied leading pocket, batten bag, glider bag and hang strap, making it the best value on the ma.rlcet today.

Fly One Spetjffcations Model arm ltadingqr root wingspan

nosea,wfe upectratio

wt(pt pilatU..

l80

1&5ftl 17.5ft.

8.75ft.

31..4.ft.

1.Z4dLg. 5.33 60 lbs.

1~

140 142ft2 16.0ft.

7.75ft.

28.6ft.

124 dLg. 576

SZlbs.

100-175

by Bonnie Nelson by

Gazdzik

A hang glider float in a parade? You saw a mountain moving down State Street chasing a car? Your hang gliding instructor was on roller skates in a clown outfit being towed by a Dat· sun (in a nine·foot hang glider at that)? Either you've been eating those funny mushrooms again, or you must have been in Santa Barbara during the city's bicentennial celebration!

Santa Barbara seems to be in the news again.

On April 17, 1982 the Santa Barbara Hang Gliding Association entered their very own float in the city's bicentennial parade. None of us really knew ahead of time what we were get· ting into. The Bicentennial Committee sent us an invitation to participate in the celebration, we discussed it at the monthly club meeting, and formed a committee (club's always seem to be forming committees) to work on the con· cept, design, and construction of our entry.

My idea was to put a model hang glider in the back of a pickup truck, dress up like hang glider pilots, put some flowers in our hair, and wave. But that's not what we ended up with.

We had a lot of people volunteer their services (a carpenter, general contractor, professional hang glider pilot, instructor, veternarian's assistant, artist, architect, landscaper, me, plus many others). We were prepared to build any·' tying. Yet everyone seemed to be satisfied with the simple idea of constructing a model of the mountains we fly from (a small job!).

To our surprise, we actually built a replica ofl.a Cumbre Peak, our main advanced flying site overlooking the city of Santa Barbara. We constructed the main peak and two smaller ridges (commonly called "Cathedral" and "The Thumb") located in front of it. Every night for a week before the parade we all met in the parking lot behind the Hang Glider Em· porium to work on this crazy contraption (reminded me of the scene from "Close En· counters Of The Third Kind" with Richard Dreyfus building his mud mountain in his !iv· ingroom).

The basic framework was built out of chicken wire and wood mounted around the shop flight simulator on a flatbed trailer. We covered the frame with newspapers soaked in flour and water, then covered it with paper bags soaked in wallpaper paste, fireproofed it with a special solution sold to float builders (at least we originally thought it was fireproof we tried setting it on fire before the parade and succeeded luckily the fire department didn't sec it). We then paintc.cl it with official mom1· min paint (the volunteer artist helped pick out the dirt·colorcd paint) and decorated it with shrnbs and flowers collected up in the moun· tains. We even got down to such details as a wood model of the fire lookout station the forest service has at the peak, and a toy VW bug loaded down with gliders (paper straws painted different ccolors to resemble glider bags) driving clown the "mountain." Pretty clever, huh! The local TV station came over (continued on page 46)

40

HANG GLIDING

FULL MEMBER NAME (Please Print)

ADDRESS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ CITY _ _ _ _ _ _ STATE _ _ _ _ _ __ ZIP _ _ _ _ PHONE ( D NEW MEMBER

D RENEW/USHGA # _ __

ANNUAL DUES: $29.50 ($32.50 foreign) This accords me full membership in the United States Hang Gliding Assn., Inc., 12 issues of Hang Gliding magazine, effective with current issue, liability and property damage insurance, and voting privileges ($10.00 of the Member dues is designated for Hang Gliding magazine). I need not be a rated pilotto bea member.

INSURANCE PLANS AVAILABLE D Plan A: Single Foot-Launch Gliding Coverage (included in Full & Family Membership fee) D Plan B: Plan A plus Powered Ultralight & Tandem Coverage (add $20 to Membership fee)

FAMILY M E M B E R · - - - - - - - · 1. NAME _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ D NEW MEMBER

D RENEW/USHGA # _ __

2. NAME _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ D NEW MEMBER

D RENEW/USHGA # _ __

ANNUAL DUES: $14.75 for each family Member, everywhere (add $20.00 for Plan B insurance coverage), who resides in my household. Each will receive all Full Member privileges EXCEPT a subscription to Hang Gliding magazine.

SUBSCRIPTION ONLY - NAME

D (Please Print)

$22.50 SUBSCRIPTION ($25.50 foreign)

for one year.

ADDRESS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

D

$40.00 SUBSCRIPTION ($46.00 foreign)

for two years.

CITY _ _ _ _ _ _ STATE _ _ _ _ __ ZIP _ _ _ _ PHONE (

D

$57.50 SUBSCRIPTION

($66 50 foreign)

for three years.

D

$11.25 TRIAL SUBSCRIPTION ($12.75 foreign)

for six months.

USHCA will ONLY accept foreign checks payable on a U.S. bank in U.S. funds. (U.S. dollars or International Money Order) Allow 4 to 6 weeks for processing.

I received this application form from:

I HAVE ENCLOSED A CHECK OR MONEY ORDER PAYABLE TO: USHGA, BOX 66306, LOS ANGELES, CA 90066 D FULL MEMBER ($29.50,$32.50foreign) (Plan B add $20) D FAMILY MEMBER(S) ($14.75 each) D SUBSCRIPTION, one year ($22.50, $25.50 foreign) D SUBSCRIPTION, two years ($40.00, $46.00 foreign) D SUBSCRIPTION, three years ($57.50, $66.50 foreign) D TRIAL SUBSCRIPTION, six months ($11.25, $12.75 foreign) _ _ __ TOTAL D I would like $1.00 of my membership dues to be used for WORLD TEAM expenses.

P.O.Box 66306, Los Angeles, California 90066 USHGA Item #4

Revised 9/81

(213) 390-3065

e z

3 .-..

0

s = I D.

::c

:E Ill :E

e

• FLIGHT LOG, 40 PAGES • POCKET SIZE, 3%" x 7" • SKILLS SIGN•OFFS INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED AND SPECIAL • GLOSSARY OF TERMS • MASTER RATING

OFFICIAL

USHGA FLIGHT LOG

• LILIENTHAL AWARDS

NOW AVAILABLE

------~-----------------1 ORDER FORM

Please send: _ _ _ _ Official USHGA flight log(s) at $2.95 ea.

NAME~----------------~ ADDRESS~---------------CITY _ _ _ _ _ _ STATE _ _ _ _ ZIP _ _ __ Postpaid Californians add 6% sales tax Dealer Inquiries invited

Send check or money order to: USHGA P.O. Box 66306 Los Angeles, CA 90066

~----------~------------'

A CASE OF COLD DUCK Bruce Case flies 134 miles from a 3 lO·foot hill!

by Bruce Case

Monday, April 26th dawned cold and overcast, with north winds at 5-10 mph. Not that I actually saw the sunrise, but judging from what conditions were when I did finally stumble out of bed at 9:20 AM, well, that's what they mus1 have been.

Anyway ... north winds are good news around southeast Minnesota, as two of our best sites face due north. The overcast kept me from getting too excited, though, and I resigned myself to another day of answering wuffo questions at Northern Sun Hang Gliders.

The first indication that maybe the day wouldn't be a total loss came about an hour later, when I looked out and saw that the cloud cover was now down to only 50% or so.

Hmmm ... Maybe I should call Flight Service just in case. Five minutes later I was frantically throwing glider and gear into my trusty Datsun. The forecast was for excellent soaring conditions to be developing, with an index of -5 at 3000', -4 at 5,000', and + I at 7,000'.

The thermals should be cracking!

An hour and a half later, I was at our Frontenac, Minnesota site, busily stuffing battens into my Wills Wing Duck. The report from a Sensor 510 pilot was less than encouraging, though. Seems he had been flying off and on for the last hour, and had been forced to land on top to avoid a trip into the still frigid waters of the Mississippi. (Frontenac is 310 to 330 feet, depending on water level, with the river directly in front, and 110 place to land.)

Just before putting on the cocoon, I paused to consider the day's possibilities. As dismal as things looked now, what if the day did live up to its potential? With a feeling that was more resignation than anticipation, I went ahead and donned coveralls, face mask and mittens.

Maybe ...

At exactly 1:30 PM I launched into smooth 8-10 mph ridge lift, joining the Sensor 510 pilot who had been flying earlier. We worked the lift to about 500', without a hint of a thermal to be found.

Just when I was about to assign the Flight Service forecaster all sorts of uncomplimen-

JULY1982

tary labels, the vario began to register 150' up.

Weak, to be sure, but a thermal none the less. I worked it to about 800', and then ... nothing.

Back to 500'. Then 200'. Another small thermal, this one good for 1,000'. I was puzzled.

Minus five soaring index, only 30% cloud cover, we had long since surpassed the trigger

MJNtJMl'>OU

ST, t'AU.L

temperature ... and still not much for thermals.

Then it hit. The river! The ice had been off for less than two weeks, and the water temperature was less than 40 degrees F. No wonder the thermals were so weak. I looked downwind at all the freshly plowed fields, and figured they just had to be pumping out some

sI

,owA

/i//; ////////////1///////; ///11 I 1/////////////////// 43

good thermals.

The next thermal I worked took me to 1,400', and I decided to turn downwind. Two minutes and Jlh miles later, I was at 700' and looking desperately for a thermal - or a place to land.

Just downwind from a gravel pit, I hooked into a small but solid core that took me to 2,000' in three minutes. Turning east-southeast I hoped to make Lake City, a 400' northfacing hill about eight miles southeast of Frontenac. Strong sink brought me down to 500', still three miles short of Lake City. A real boomer, courtesty of a large plowed field, yielded another 2,500', and I made the hill on a straight glide. The house thermal was there, just waiting, and five minutes later I was at cloudbase, which was 4,300' at that point. It was beginning to street, so I turned downwind with this silly grin, just waiting for the fabled cloudsuck that would enable me to stuff the bar and get 50 + mph ground speed. Five and a half hours later, with some 30-40 thermals behind me, I was still waiting. It never happened.

What did happen was this: Once I left Lake City, about 60-70% of the time was spent working 500 fpm thermals, and the remainder of the time spent dodging 800 fpm sink. For the first couple of hours this was fun, and I anticipated getting at least 50 to 60 miles, which would be a record for our area. The third and fourth hours were hard work, as fatigue and cold began to take their toll, but the chance to get 80 miles, or maybe, just maybe the coveted "100" was sufficient to keep me going. I would estimate the temperature at cloudbase to be 35 to 40 degrees, and by this time I was shivering any time I went above 4,000'. I had seen Rochester, Minnesota go by around hour two, and by hour three I was wondering if I was anywhere near Iowa. It's pink on the map on my office wall, but ... For a moment I flirted with the idea of flying low enough to see what color the license plates were, but abandoned the idea. Cold and fatigue can give rise to some strange thoughts.

"HAWKEYES." The word was written in eight-foot-high letters across the roof of a building, and I knew I had made Iowa. By this time I was well into hour five, and my thermalling, which I never allow myself to become sloppy about, had degenerated into little more tha letting the Duck fly itself around in somewhat erratic circles. I no longer had the energy to fight with the rather turbulent cores I was encountering. The focal point of my attention alternated between the pain in my back (poorly adjusted harness) and the numbing cold in the rest of my body. To think that I had almost spurned the face mask and mittens.

Six forty-five PM. I had been aloft over five hours, and was somewhere in Iowa, though still not sure if I had made 100 miles. The

44

cumulus were dissipating, and the thermals becoming scarce, although they still topped out at 4,500'. There was one town ahead and slightly to the left that I could make, barring any strong sink. The next town was 20 miles beyond that, and the odds of making it looked poor. I opted for the closer of the two, leaving what was left of the street I was with, never to hear from my vario again. The water tower informed me that I was over Hazleton, Iowa. I dropped out of prone at 300' in order to exercise my legs for the upcoming pound. Even at this point, I knew "landing" would be too generous a term, as my right leg was in a cast and my left leg was numb. The arrival turned out to be less eventful than feared, though, resulting only in a nose plate full of Iowa clover.

It was 6:58 PM. I had been aloft for 5 hours, 28 minutes, and had flown a great circle distance of 134.5 miles. (Thanks to Mike Meier of Wills Wing for the great circle computations!)

A pilot friend, Shannon Brasher, was kind enough to put me up for the night. The following morning he loaned me his truck and $50 to drive back to Minnesota. (I had landed in Hazleton with $1.35 in my pocket.)

I am writing this one month after my flight, and as such, have had some time to reflect upon it. I don't believe it was a result of "freak" conditions, although admittedly, -5 soaring indexes don't come along every day. I also believe that someone will go 200 miles from one of our hills. An earlier start, warmer clothes, stronger winds aloft (they were only 15 mph at 3,000') would all contribute.

Wonder if Shannon would loan me his truck . aga111 ....) (continued from page 22)

(New Mexico) launch. In light winds, it is easy enough to dive off, screaming BONZAI!, or something of the like, but in winds of any strength over IO mph, the rotor is treacherous. Both launches have good LZ's underneath them.

The road up Rowe is one of the best around here, being an eight-minute ride up a maintained gravel road. Rowe's ridge has about 30 miles of flyable terrain, but to date no one has ever utilized hardly any of it. Maybe next week.

Now I will discuss several southern NM sites. I am no expert on these places, and would advise anyone wanting to fly the area to contact Rio Grande Hang Gliders, in Las Cruces.

DRY CANYON Overlooking Alamogordo, Dry Canyon has about a 2,500' vertical, and faces south-south-

west. There are two launches, one is a slope type launch which is used for high winds, and right below it is a cliff launch, used for light winds. During fall, winter, and spring, Dry Canyon is an excellent thermaling site. But in the summer when the temperature soars about 100° daily, it can be quite turbulent.

To land, one flies over the Space Hall of Fame to set it down in one of the two LZ's.

One is tight, the other huge. To get to the top one has to go up a rugged four-wheel drive road. The locals put on an annual fly-in every year here, in late spring.

LA LUZ When the wind is too north for Dry Canyon, pilots head a few miles north, to 975' high La Luz. The road up is another rocky, steep one.

Having a fair, cliff-type launch, this site faces northwesterly. Good soaring flights are possible here, but the locals tell me they are not commonplace. Recently I managed to thermal my trusty Sensor 510 to 3,500' above launch, and the area pilots tell me that is a very good gain for this place. The size of the LZ reminds me of the "Pad" at Grandfather Mt., without the trees or lake, just 15' high thorny bushes surrounding it. (There is a good-sized water treatment plant adjacent to it though.)

So plan your approach carefully, and before you fly, check it out thoroughly.

TANUCO Also called San Diego Mt., this site is located about 15 miles north of Las Cruces.

Facing westerly, it has a dangerous cliff launch. High winds here are extremely hairy, and require a full launch crew. Ramp suck happens here in 20 mph winds and is quite scary! There is about one mile of soarable ridge, and a nice big LZ is directly below launch. The road up is very steep, the last 300' requires a good four-wheel drive vehicle.

There are many other mountains and ridges that have been flown all over New Mexico.

None however, are flown regularly. If more pilots start crowding the other sites, perhaps they will become popular in the future. Except for Dry Canyon, I have flown all the sites I have written about, and they all can be great.

If anyone desires more info on the area, I'd be glad to help you out. I personally feel that I have the finest sites the world has to offer, at my doorstep.

Amado Summers Tano Rd. Santa Fe, NM 87501 (505) 983-3933 ~

HANG GLIDING

The Original Wtralight Magazine

.,.MISS1·£~. '

~i""'.,...rn FREE!

'-·

ULTRALIGHT DIRECTORY

YOU

plus save

33 %OFF ~t~isTAND

DESERVE THE BEST!

Interested in ultralights? GLIDER RIDER is the recognized leader, with extensive monthly coverage since 1976 of ultralights, hang gliding and man-powered aircraft. Subscribe today at 33% off newsstand price, and receive one FREE issue containing the Ultralight Directory - complete with updated photos and specs of the "hottest" new crafts.

Stop for a minute and picture yourself on top of the stack at your favorite flying site, feeling relaxed and confident. We've been making gliders that stayed on top for a long time. Imagine heading out for the next llYlon running neck and neck with your competition, but finding the extra speed to arrive first. We make very fast gliders. Think about going for the target knowing that the glider lands so easy and slowly that you don't worry about dropping the nose or b~nding the down tubes.

You a winner! The Moyes Missile from the company that over the years has produced more winners.

MONEY BACK GUARANTEE YES! Send me the next 12 issues for just

If charging,

c. ~\ASTERCARD

:, VISA

$]2

Credit Card No.

I am enclosing $2 for a sample issue

COMPETITION CORNER

:_: Payment enclosed

Exp. Date

~

Card Holder's Name

Bill me (in advance)

Interbank No.

NAME

MOYES WINS Lawrence Hargrave Intl. Meet

ADDRESS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

*1ST *2ND *3RD

CITY, STATE & ZIP _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

_

Foreign Postage: Add $2 in Canada, $5 elsewhere - U.S. FUNDS ONLY!

•• ,IIIC.

.•A!ROWHIDHWAY I BRIDGMA!l, MICHIOAH 0106 / TELEPHONE 61~

Allow 4-8 LJ.J€'eks for delivery of {irsl issue

~3100

GLIDER RIDER

P.O. Box 6009, Dept. HG-1 • Chattanooga, TN 37401

Whole Air delivers it all, from the center of the hang

HANG GLIDING , THERMAL gliding industry to the edge of new research. We'll keep SOARING, TOWING, ir~~u~~:!h:~~te:~:oa::~~:,~n~~~fty~: m&Srn~~ MOTORGLIDING, AEROBATICS ... th:~:~ events. Our coverage starts in soaring flight and THE FLYING , ALL includes towing, motorgliding, and ultralights.

"Statistics," Pilot Reports, "Used THE EQUIPMENT ; WHO Glider Bluebook," Mini-features, interviews, weather phenomena, WHAT , WHERE , WHEN • • • consumer news, free Reader WHOLE AIR, THE MAGAZINE ~:~:~:.se Be:::i:i color. Innovative content. Leading in FOR PILOTS. DELUXE • new directions ... Whole Air, for pilots!

0

~~

l ---y~~Iw~~dlik:~~:~~ili;;w""HoLEAffi___ _ I I I

The Magazine for Pilots Dealer Inquiries Invited

Charge Card Number:

D Bill Me (In Advance)

Expiration Date: _ _ _ _ __ ls this a renewal? D Yes lJ No I D $9-1 year D $16-2 years D $22-3 years Published Bi-monthly I I (Canada, add $4/year--Other Countries, add $8/year, write for Air Mail rates)

I

WHOLE AIR

[l Money Enclosed

["] Visa

D Mastercard

I Naine ________________________

I Address~------------~------1

of

Zip _ _ __

L __ ~:' ~o~B~"...:~:.:::i~~t:·2'.::.~~~ - - - ____~G-- _

(rnn1inued from page 26)

one else, going in the same direction. But it's more than that! There are certain areas where you wouldn't want to be. I mean, think about it, you wouldn't want to fly into it right in front of the guy. You wouldn't want to f1y into it right behind him either. The same goes for right under or over him. There are certain places where you can find yourself welcome and others that are totally dangerous. And just because you can yell at them or blow a whistle at them doesn't mean everything's gonna be great. You can end up having whistles all over the place but if people don't understand about taking care of each other while flying you're gonna have total chaos.

Terry: What ever happened to thermalling etiquette and the rules of the ridge?

Pat: Well, those are just bare bones. I think people need a better guide. I feel it's become totally obvious, not just because of this midair, that we have to have a better set of 'rules' for flying with others, and also having people who are aware pilots - being able to think while they're flying. We need to have pilots learn to fly better, because this is the thing of the future. The gliders keep getting better and better. The flying sites were really pretty poor before. The sites, because of the gliders we had, we'd just fly down. Nowadays pilots will go off and find a thermal and other pilots will fill that thermal right up and you'll have a dozen gliders in it. This happens all the time!

If you have a contest like the Regionals, and an endurance type of thing, pilots will stay up into the moonrise.

Terry: You were an eyewitness. Did you actually see the accident?

Pat: Something caught my eye in the periphery ofmy vision and when I looked over I saw this Comet, nose pitched down. Then the glider dove into the ground. I was not that far away. I could hear the crash as it smacked, into the ground. It was a horrendous noise.

And just as soon as it smacked in I looked up and there was a glider with a parachute out.

Terry: So Craig never had a chance to throw his chute?

Pat: I saw some white. I saw something that looked like a parachute that came out exactly at tree-top level, about sixty feet up. Now some of the guys who were taking care of the body said that the deployment bag was still in the pouch. It doesn't make sense, but I saw something white that looked like it was trailing out a ways. Also, when I got there the chute was spread out so I used it to cover him up.

Terry: Were there any trees up there for a possible tree landing?

Pat: Where he hit there were a couple of trees and some bushes. The trees didn't have many branches on them. He knocked off a couple of little branches. There wasn't much to break 46

his fall. He could have hit a lot of other areas but he would have had to hit something real bushy because the speed he was traveling I estimated at eighty to ninety miles per hour.

Terry: Any other comments on these events?

Pat: About three hundred feet. We were over some trees, fairly close to the hillside.

Pat: Well, I think the Regionals were run really well. They did the best they could with what conditions we had. I can't see any fault at all with them. There really shouldn't have been a mid-air if pilots were aware of other people in the same air.

Terry: Which side?

Terry: Thank you Pat.

Terry: How high were you guys at the time?

Pat: Straight out from takeoff. The back side - the northwest side.

Terry: Where did you land to help them out?

Pat: I landed on top of the ridge that runs down the mountain. It's pretty bare. There are a lot of bushes but it's fairly bare.

Terry: How come Willy got his chute out and Craig didn't?

Pat: Willy pulled his chute and threw it right after he heard Craig yell and felt the impact of Craig's glider. He immediately tossed it out before determining whether his glider was actually broken or not.

Terry: Did Willy's glider break?

Pat: No! It was still plenty flyable. He had a flat spot on the right leading edge. Flight Designs has got photos of the tubing. There was a kink in his king post cable and that was it. There was no other damage to the glider except a red stain on the blue Demon leading edge. The stain was from the red leading edge of Craig's glider that went across Willy's leading edge so fast that it melted part of the red dacron. Oh, none of the battens were broken and no cables frayed.

There was one other pretty nasty thing that happened there. John Beebe, in his glider, was coming in for a landing. On his downwind approach, all ofa sudden he got hit by an incredible gust from behind which totally stalled him out. He ended up kind of doing a vertical dive type thing and smacked into a bunch of bushes. (John was OK but his glider was damaged. John was actually avoiding a mid-air himself.)

Terry: How were emergency services? Did things work our satisfactorily or was there room for improvement?

Pat: There was a lot of room for improvement, but the service couldn't have been any better, not with the conditions of the mountain we have there. What were they gonna do, send a helicoptor in? It was getting too dark.

Besides, there was some problem with the coroner's office. They wanted everything to just stay there so they could come and look at it.

Hah! What if they had crashed into each other in some inaccessible place on that mountain?

They might not have been found until daylight the next morning. If they had crashed further down the mountain it would have taken a helicoptor the next day to get them out.

~

(continued from page 40)

(The Float) and filmed the making of the float. Apparently they were doing a feature story on the local parade preparations. Unfortunately their story wasn't much of a success, as the only other group they located that day besides us was a band practicing at the local high school (and. only four members of the band showed up).

On the big day of the parade we mounted a real Wills Wing Duck in the flight simulator, stuck Ken deRussy, owner of the Hang Gliding Emporium, in a harness suspended from the glider, and headed for the starting point of the parade. Our entry consisted of two vehicles. One was a pickup truck carrying pilots and support people dressed in harnesses and helmets, towing _the Hang Glider Emporium's head instructor, Jeff Mailes. Jeff was dressed in a clown outfit covered by a Price Prone harness, wore a helmet with big ears, face mask (he didn't want anyone to recognize him), and black roller skates. He was hooked to a nine foot model of a Chandelle standard (early seventies vintage), and was being towed by the Datsun. Boy, did he look stupid! The next vehicle, a Honda Accord, towed the float.

It almost looked like a scene from a monster movie (did you ever see "The Incredible Blob?"). It was easy to imagine that this poor little Honda was being chased by a mad careating mountain. I haven't figured out what the hang glider had to do with it; maybe it was someone soaring the lift off the moving mountain on their way to Singapore, after all, if you can soar a Russian trawler, why not a moving mountain? (If you don't know what I'm talking about, read Dennis Pagen's article in the April issue of Hang Gliding magazine).

The parade had about 115 entries, pretty big for a small town like Santa Barbara. The local paper stated that our float was probably the most eye-catching of the· parade. We won a trophy ("The Committee Award"), a blue ribbon that says "First Place," though we don't know what we got first place in, and a certificate. Not too bad, considering none of us had ever built a float before! We had so much fun in this project, we're already making plans for our next float.

In the meantime we have this funny looking mountain sitting in back of the shop parking lot not doing anything. Maybe we could rent it out to some of the pilots back east who have a shortage of flying sites, or, better yet, maybe Hollywood will buy it and use it in their next big disaster movie. ~ HANG GLIDING

CLASS1flEJ) ·

ADVERT15.IN<l

DEMON l 75 - Excellent condirion. $995. Quitting. (808) 948-8659, 448-1739.

PRO-AIR 140 - Excellent condition. 1981 model. $1050 onh-. (213) 395-4589 A.H.

E!PPER FLEXl-2 - '76 p 20' wing span, 140-180 lb. range. 6: l LID, $300. Denis Livsey, Route 10, Windham, NY 12496

RAVEN 179, Li1ek vario, Advanced Air chute, Bell helmet, med. harness - entire package, SI 150., O.H.O. :\

HARNESS WANTED - \X'antcd used Sky Spans supine harness. Brian Cornelius, 221 \X'alnut Lane, Apple Vallc~· 1 MN, (612) 432-3339.

grear buv. All in excellent condition. (213) 36il-O.J28, alier 6:00 or evenings.

RAVEN 179 - Low air rime. $800 or hesr offer. Lca,-e messsage, (805) 682-0049 or (805) 966-600.J.

HARRIER 177 - Like new - low airtime, Sl 150. \\'ill negotiate. Jon Bautsch, (715) 842-4103, 848-1316.

RAVEN 209 - 1981 1 excellent condition, ncYer cnmchcJ.

LANCER 190, 1979 - $600. 1980 ATLAS 175, $800.

Good condir10n. (804) 851-3751.

RA \1 EN 229 - (2) one for $850, one for S7 50. condition. (209) 524-1125.

LOOKING FOR A l!SED GLIDER? Selling vours? In 213 and 714 area codes call Doug Herrzogs Hang Gliding Referral Sen·ice, (213) -136-4891.

RA\'EN 229 - Nice colors, good ll\'er. $1050. \X'ill ship.

(607) 75 3- I 236.

or torn loose from their anchor points front and back ruined

bushings, bent bolts (especial!~· the heart bolt), re-used Nyloc nutsi loose thimbles, frayed or rusted cables, tr111gs with non. circular holes, and on Rogallos, sails bad!\' torn

,\IOSQUITO 166 789-5312, Joe.

or torn loose from their anchor points front and back ~n 1he keel and leading edges. If in doubt, many hang gliding businesses will be happ~: to gi\·c an objcct1\·e opinion on 1he

MOYES MEGA II - 172 wirh mylar leading edge. Good condition. $850 with bag. Jim (9 l 9) 385-6364.

condition of cquiprncnt you bring them to inspect.

NOVA 210 - Break down control bar, good condltlon, $600. Original control bar and down tube also a\'ailablt.?1

CONSU!I\ER ADVISORY: Used han~ gliders alwavs

should be disassembled before nying for the first time a~d

Rogallos

·

S40. (213) 355-9449.

BENNETT KITES - ,\II models sold & serviced. fl\' rhe fantastic new X-serics. (916) 583-6136.

CAN \X'E HELP YOL' GET INTO THE ,",IR? Do ,·ou \\'31ll to 0~\ but arc shon of funds? \\'e will 1rade ,mvthing

ro help vou 787-6600.

Ver1· good condition. $500. (714)

n,-. Conracr Delra \X'ing Kires & Gliders', (213)

CIRRl'S 5A $500. Excellent condition. 200 Ii.' SPIRIT, $600. Good rnndirion. Call (71.J) 776-1910 <lavs, (71.JJ 751-8599 nighrs.

CO,\IET 185 - \\'ill ship anvwhere in l'.S., $1250, Chris Price~ (71-l) 678-198-L Jus! took deli\'ery of 2 new one,

OLY 160 - Excellent condition, $350. Also prone harness, chute & Audio Vario, $350. Package deal, $725. Chris :\.\cKeage, Box 991408, Srearnboat, CO 80.J99.

Rainbow sail. (71.J) 9.J7-l 578. \'t' ry goo<l

R1\ \'EN 229 - Rainbow colors, srlir panels ..\lusr sell, S750. (715) 359-8755.

SEAGULL SIERRA - Prorot\'re. 60% double surl'ace.

Lexan LE., faired crossbar. $475. Phoenix 6-C, $275. (805) 685-3243.

SENSOR 510's - Sales & scr\'ice - immedia1c deli\'er~· new gliders in srock -

starting ar S1950. (916) 583-6136.

S.S. OSPREY - l 75 sq. ( I 25 lbs. l 70) LID 8 ro l, S750. + Bobcat II 205 sq., S500. Borh wirh bag, (or offer). (201) 272-0190, Bruce.

OLY 160 I CIRRUS 5B - Jmmaculare, low hours; each S600. O.N.O., (714) 457-5636.

SPIRIT 220 -

Emcrson·Bailey tow s_vstcm, hclmct 1 harness, chute, extras. SI JOO. or sell scparntcly, (90-~) 253-8962.

OLY 160 - Flies well, vellow wirh brown keel packer and rips, $550. (71.J) 887-5436.

\\'ILLS \X'!NG 260 OMEGA - Grear tandem glider, super pre-Oighrcd. $800., O.B.O. Paul (.J l 5) 756-0650.

PHOENIX 60 - l 55. Good beginner, $500. Knee hanger harness; women's small, S50. (303) 936-7957.

Rigid Wings

must sell

PHOENIX 60-2 l 5, I 979 - Frame #l 75, full hisror\', good condition, whire, red, LE. rips, S700, o.h.o. (213) 772-'5221 X263 bus. hrs.

FLEDGE Jill - Excellent condition. Ready for rower, Sacrifice, S800. Paul at C.S.F. (415) 756-0650.

CO:\\ET 165 - Chord-wise dark brown and white, $900.

Ball 631 ,·arioldigiral altimeter, $300. (509) -189-3692.

PHOENIX 8 - 1\ll white, S.J85. Snarmasrer, $375. Borh $825. (607) 753-1236.

FLEDGE IIB - ,\linr condition, training hill use onl\'. will pav shipping. SJ.JOO. (30 l) 256-8717.

CONDOR 194 - \'er\' good condition. $600. ,\like, (213) 869-2282 days. (213) 863-.\218, evenings.

PHOENIX 61) model l 55. Handles l 15-150 rilor weight Quick assembly. I will BARTER. (408) 623-236.J

FLEDGE IJB - l 980. Less rhan 2 hrs. T.T. Excellent condition. S l 000./Besr offer. (916) 393-55-B.

\Vasatcl1 \VillU "' TAKE HANG GLIDING WITH YOU

Advanced Soaring Seminar

* Five days of flying, with ground schools, * Ridge soaring Point of the Mountain.

* Cross country thermalling from mountains over 5000 feet vertical descent. * Transportation to and from sites.

* Conducted

by Dave Rodriguez, advanced certified instructor, and former Masters of Hang Gliding Champion.

$295.00

NAME

USHGA # _ __

OLD ADDRESS CITY

STATE _ _ ZIP

NEW ADDRESS CITY _ _ _ _ _ _ STATE _ _ ZIP ____

June 6th-12th or

LAST ISSUE RECEIVED

July 11th-17th or August 8th-14th.

(PLEASE ALLOW FOUR WEEKS FOR PROCESSING)

$50 reservation deposit and proof of hang Ill or equivalent required, Classes will be kept small so make your reseivations early.

700 East 12300 South O Draper, Utah 84020 ° (801) 571-4044

JULY1982

DON'T MISS THE LATEST ISSUE BY FAILING TO NOTIFY USHGA OF YOUR CHANGE OF ADDRESS! 1

Notify USHGA Early!

Please Note: You must notify your post office that you will pay forwarding postage on your second class mail or you may miss an issue.

USHGA, Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

47

Schools and Dealers ARIZONA DESERT HANG GLIDERS -4319 W. Larkspur, Glendale, AZ 85304 (602) 942-4450.

CALIFORNIA

tified. Call or write for more information. Ultra Sport, Inc. 12780 Pierce #14, Pacoima, CA 91331. (213) 896-1805.

WINDSPORTS INTERNATIONAL, INC. since 1974 (formerly So. Cal. Hang Gliding Schools). Largest and most complete HANG GLIDING and POWERED ULTRALITE center in Southern California. Large inventory of new and used gliders, ultralites, parts and accessories. Complete training program by USHGA certified instructors. 5219 Sepulveda Blvd., Van Nuys, CA 91411 (213) 789-0836.

COLORADO FOUR CORNERS SCHOOL OF HANG GLIDING since 1974. Certified instruction. All major brands, including powered gliders. Repairs & accessories. Box 38, Hesperus, CO 81326. (303) 533-7550.

GOLDEN SKY SAILS - USHGA certified school. Foot

launch, power, towing, mountain soaring, ground to air

BEST FLIGHT AIRCRAFT SERVICE - Featuring Flight Designs Products and American Aerolights Eagle.

Sales, service, accessories, flight and ground training.

Located on Flabob Airport, Riverside, California. Day (714) 781-9222. Night (714) 989-1274.

ELSINORE VALLEY HANG GLIDING CENTER. Certified, experienced instruction, sales for all major manufacturers and repair facilities. Call (714) 678-2050.

FREE FLIGHT OF SAN DIEGO. Expert instruction utilizing modern, safe equipment. (714) 560-0888.

FRESH AIR FLIGHT SCHOOL Personalized USHGA certified instruction and observation. An alternative hang gliding establishment meeting all of your Oying needs - including expert repairs at realistic rates. Call BRIGHT ST AR in Santa Rosa at (707) 584-7088.

HANG FLIGHT SYSTEMS - Certified instruction program, beginning to advanced levels. Featuring Wills Wing and Ultralight Products gliders and accessories. *Duck, Comet, Gemini, Harrier demo flight available to qualified pilots. 1202 E. Walnut Unit M, Santa Ana, CA. (714) 542-7444.

HANG GLIDER EMPORIUM SANTA BARBARA (Formerly Channel Islands Hang Glider Emporium) Quality instruction, service and sales since 1974. Full stock of gliders (both new & used), harnesses, helmets, varios, accessories, and spare parts. Contact us for details. Located just minutes from major highway and flying sites. 613 N. Milpas, Santa Barbara, CA 93103. (805) 965,3733.

HANG GLIDERS OF CALIFORNIA, INC. USHGA certified instruction from beginning to expert levels. All brands of gliders, a complete line of instruments & equip· ment are available! For information or catalog, write of call: Hang Gliders of California, Inc., 2410 Lincoln Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405. (213) 399-5315.

HANG GLIDERS WEST-DILLON BEACH FL YING SCHOOL - USHGA Certified instructors, observers serving Northern California since 1973. Expert quality repairs.

Complete lesson programs. AFTER THE SALE IT'S THE SERVICE THAT COUNTS! All major brands, parts, accessories. Call or write for brochure. 20,A Pamaron Way, Ignacio, CA 94947. (415) 883-3494. Now offering ULTRALIGHT POWERED FLIGHT INSTRUCTION. All equipment provided. We Believe-SAFETY FIRST! MISSION SOARING CENTER - Test Oy before you buy. Demos, new & used gliders in stock. All major brands 1-7766; 992-6020.

School." 43551 Mission Blvd., Fremont, CA 94538. (415) 656-6656.

SAN FRANCISCO SCHOOL OF HANG GLIDING Private and group instruction by certified instructors. (415) 731-7766; 992-6020.

SKYWORKS HANG GLIDING & ULTRALITE - of the South Bay Area offers you opportunity and diversification in the art of Oying. Complete lesson programs, cer· tified instruction, demos, equipment new and used, repair facilities, and major brands available. 527 Sinclair Frontage Road, Milpitas, CA 95035. (408) 946-7115.

ULTRASPORT, INC. is the only Southern California school dedicated Only to powered ultralights. We have a flight simulator which allows you to learn basic flight maneuvers before committing to free flight. USHGA cer·

48

communication, video replay. Complete airframe, sail, power plant repair. We sell and service all major brands.

Golden Sky Sails, 572 Orchard, Golden, CO 8040 I. (303) 278-9566.

LEADING EDGE AIR FOILS, INC. · Write for our complete line of gliders, power packs, ultralight equipment and lessons, (powered, rowed and free-flight). Enjoy our unbeatable prices and fast service. A MOST COMPLETE SHOP. 331 South 14th St., Colorado Springs, Colorado 80904.

ILLINOIS MID-AMERICA INC. - Instruction in hang gliding and motorized ultralights. All major brands available. Certified instructors and BGI's. Individual and group rates. Write: Box 100, Granville, IL 61326 or call (815) 339-2282 before 10:00 a.m.

INDIANA BAT-SAIL ENTERPRISE, INC. Central Indiana's hang gliding and ultralight headquarters. Dealer for Flight Designs, Moyes, U.P., and Wills Wing. Specializing in Jetwing ATV and towing. 6040 Ashway Ct., Indianapolis, In· diana (317) 291-9079.

MARYLAND MARYLAND SCHOOL OF HANG GLIDING, INC. Serving the Washington D.C. and Baltimore areas. Complete line of gliders and equipment. USHGA certified instruction. (301) 628-6177.

MICHIGAN D&D MICHIGAN MANTA. Dealers for the new Fledge III, FoxBat Fledge, Progressive Aircraft, featuring Pro Air, Pro Star and new Pro Lite harness. Harness, chute, ballist bag 7 to 8 lbs. Simpson Helmets. 3220 E. River Rd., Twin Lake, MI 49457. (616) 744-9492.

TELLURIDE - Fly Telluride this summer. Complete package available. Lodging, food, transportation up moun· tain, and other activities for your family. Write: P.O. Box 394, Telluride, CO 81435 for brochure.

CONNECTICUT AIR WISE INC., 15 Long Ridge Road, West Redding, CT. 06896, (203) 938-9546. Training programs for beginner to expert by USHGA certified instructor/observer staff.

Dealer for all major product lines, featuring Flight Designs, UP, Moyes. Complete accessory line. Lecture-mm presentation available.

HAWAII TRADEWJNDS HANG GLIDING - USHGA certified instructors/observers. Classes daily. Box 543, Kailua, Hawaii, 96734. (808) 396-8557.

IDAHO SUN VALLEY SENSOR - New and used Sensor 510's.

Sales, service, demo. Bruce McKeller, P.O. Box 3696, Ketchum, Idaho 83340. (208) 788-9692.

-~~~~~~~~~~~~

TREASURE VALLEY HANG GLIDERS - USHGA certified instruction, sales of UP, Wills, Flight Designs, & Centurion gliders. Accessories & service, ratings & site information. "Come Oy with us! Southern Idaho offers great soaring!" Box 746, Nampa, ID 83651 (208) 336-9492 eves.

PILOTS! LEARN TO FLY HIGHER, SAFER, FURTHER

BCO,PLIGHT HANG GLIDERS AND MICHIGAN MOTOR GLIDER continue our FREEZIN' SEASON SALE with substantial savings on gliders, ultralights, windsurfers and accessories, including Wills Wing, U.P., Flight Designs, Pterodactyl, and Manta. We offer U.S.H.G.A. & F.A.A. certified instruction, complete parts and expert repair service, windsurfer rental, sales, and in· struction. 493 Lake St., Benzonia, Michigan 49616. (616) 882-5070.

ECO FLIGHT GLIDERS (South)- Certified instruction. handling major brands of gliders, featuring Gemini Power System, with the new Hummingbird. Eco Flight Gliders, 17390 Redman Road, Milan, Michigan 48160, (313) 439,8637.

HANGER I.I GLIDER SALES - Lessons & Repairs.

Just when you thought you couldn't purchase your 1982 glider, WAMMO the lift is here. Moyes Meteors. 190 Suggested retail price $2075. now $1775. 170 - Suggested retail price $1995. now $1695. Your choice of colors, 3-4 wks. delivery (shipping not included). (705) 942-2979.

SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN HANG GLIDERS - Sales and instruction in Ultralights, Free Flight and towing.

Dealers for Eagle, UP, Flight Designs, Delta Wing and Soarmaster. 2485! Murray, Mt. Clemens, MI 48045 (313) 791-0614 - Since 1975.

MINNESOTA

• HANG GLIDING FL.YING SKILLS-DETAILS ON: BEGINNING FLIGHT ' INTERMEDIATE SKILLS ' AERODYNAMICS • GLIDER DESIGN • GLIDER REPAIR • SELECTING EOUIP· MENT ' TH ERMA LING • MORE. $6.96 + 60tPOSTAGE. • FLYING CONDITIONS-THE ROAD MAP TO THE SKY-OE· TAILS ON: GENERAL WEATHER' TURBULENCE' ROTORS ' WIND SHADOW ' SEA BREEZES ' WIND GRADIENT • RIDGE LIFT 'THERMALS' MORE. $6.96 + 60t POSTAGE. • HANG GLIDING FOR ADVANCED PILOTS-DETAILS ON: COMPETITION' EFFICIENT TURNING' POLARS' SPEEDS TO FLY 'THERMAL TECHNIQUES' DISTANCE SOARING• DESIGN CONCEPTS ' MORE. $6.96 + 60< POSTAGE. ULTRALIGHT AIRCRAFT-DETAILS ON: • POWERED CHOOSING THE F11GHT CRAFT • AERODYNAMICS • CONTROLS • AIRMANSHIP • MORE. $7.96 + 60t POST. • 11 NEW••• • POWERED ULTRALIGHT TRAINING COURSE-A MANUAL FOR SELF,TEACHING AND TRAINING SCHOOLS-1 t LES· SONS AND RELATED GROUNDSCHOOLS-TESTS AND FAA REGULATIONS INCLUDED- $12.96 + 60< POSTAGE. ( Exc,ptPOWEREO $11.96 + 60HOSTAGE FOR TWO $16.95 + 90¢POSTAGE FOR THREE ULTRALIGHT $21.95 + 90t POSTAGE FOR FOUR TRAINING COURSE $29.95 + 1.10 POSTAGE FOR ALL FIVE SEND CHECK OR CASH TO: DENNIS PAQEN, DEPT. H P.O. BOX 601,STATE COLLEGE, PA 16801 DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED

NORTHERN SUN HANG GLIDERS, INC. Dealer for all major non-powered and powered brands. USHGA certified instruction. Owners/managers of the Hang Gliding Preserve, soarable ridge with tramway lift. When in the North Country stop by and test our line of gliders and enjoy the sites. 2277 W. County Rd. C., St. Paul, (Roseville), MN 55113 (612) 633-3333.

NEW MEXICO BUFFALO SKYRIDERS, INC. - Southwest's hang gliding headquarters. Instruction, sales and service for all types of gliders. Coronado Airport, P.O. Box 4512, Albuquerque, N.M. 87106. (505) 821-6842.

NEW YORK AERIAL TECHNIQUES, Rt. 209, Ellenville, NY 12428, (914) 647-3344. Come visit Ellenville. Learn to ny at our new training facility or challenge the mountain with your thermaling and X-C skills. Complete inventory of gliders, accessories, and replacement parts. Quicksilver ultralight sales and instruction. Open all year.

THE WELCOME MAT IS OUT at Mountain Wings, the

HANG GLIDING

Ellenville area's newest and largest shop for hang gliders, ultralights, RC gliders and more. Located just off Route 209 on Main Street, Kerhonkson, our product lines include Flight Designs, ProAir, Manta, Seedwings, Stratus. Top notch instruction programs with audiovisual teaching aids.

Mountain Wings, Box 1022, Kerhonkson, NY 12446. (914) 626-5555.

P.O. Box 483, Van Nuys, CA 91408 (213) 787-6600, telex no. 65-1425.

WASHINGTON BIG BIRD'S WINGS - Hang gliding's best. Instruction - sales and service. Dealing & distributing Wills Wing in Washington state. Call Fitz (Big Bird), (206) 523-2436.

CAPITOL CITY GLIDERS - New and used gliders and ultralights, accessories, service. Certified instruction. (206) 786-9255, (206) 456-6333.

NORTH CAROLINA

FAIRW!NDS INTERNATIONAL is the exclusive Ultralite Products dealer in the Northwest. Comet, Gemini in stock. Some good used gliders also. 1302 Kings Place, Bainbridge Is., WA 981 lO. Call evenings, (206) 842-3971 Lyon McCandless, (206) 842-4970 Ken Godwin.

KITTY HAWK KITES, INC., - P.O. Box 340, Nags head, N.C. 27959 1-800-334-4777. Learn to fly safely over soft sand dunes through gentle Atlantic breezes a few miles south of where the Wright Brothers learned to fly. Beginning/Novice packages and ratings available daily. Complete inventory of new gliders, accessories and parts in stock.

SKY SAILS LTD Hang Gliding School. USHGA certified instructors. 1630 Lincoln Ave., Williamsport, PA 17701.

(717) 326-6686 or 322-8866.

JAPAN SUNRISE COUNTRY INC. - Distributor Japan: Manta, Pacific Kites, Delta Wing, Flight Designs, Odyssey, Litek, Hall Bros., Ball Varios, Altimaster, Quick-N-Easy. 1104 Rekku Shibakoan 2111113. Shibakoan Minatoku Tokyo 105 JAPAN. Tel. 03/433/0062.

TEXAS AUSTIN AIR SPORTS - Certified hang gliding instruction. Glider sales & equipment. (512) 474-1669.

AUSTIN HANG GLIDING CENTER - Lessons, winch tow to 2000'. (512) 255-7954.

Parts & Accessories

SECURITY RECOVERY SYSTEMS, $299. Oxygen systems, $145. and Ball Variometers at lowest prices. High Flight Associates, 4019 Vista Way, Davis, CA 95616. (916) 756-4185.

PROPELLERS - All sizes. Wood, beech, birch, maple.

Buy the best. Factory direct. Southern Propeller Corp., 1114 Hinson Ave., Haines City, FL (813) 422-2335.

Publications & Organizations

Employment Opportunities

ELECTRA-FLYER DISTRIBUTORS. South MidWestern distributors for: Electra Flyer Corp., UFM Prod· ucts, Sky Sports, Seagull Aircraft. Now accepting dealership inquiries. Call or write: LONE STAR HANG GLIDERS, 2200 "C" South Smithbarry Rd., Arlington, TX 76013. Metro. (817) 469-9159.

CRYSTAL AIR SPORTS MOTEL - Male/Female HELP WANTED: 15 hrs.lwk. Exchange for lodging in Original Flyers Bunkhaus. Call or write Chuck or Shari, 4328 Cummings Hwy., Chattanooga, Tenn. 37409. (615) 821-2546. Home of SKY GEAR, Apparel & Accessories.

Also, vacationing? Private Rustic Rooms. Waterbeds, Video Movies, Color T.V., Pool. Reserve early due to World's Fair.

LONE STAR HANG GLIDERS. Electra Flyer, Sky Sports, Seagull, Manta and UFM sales, repair, instruction.

2200 C South Smithbarry, Arlington, TX 76013 (817) 469-9159.

UTAH

NEW RAPID DEPLOYMENT B.U.S. FLY AWAY CONTAINER SYSTEM is the world's newest, fastest and most reliable system. By the originator of hang gliding parachutes. Bill Bennett Delta Wing Kites & Gliders, Inc.,

·~;~G_A_C~ASS~FIF:DADVERTISl;GORDERFO;; II

SOARING - Monthly magazine of The Soaring Society of America Inc. Covers all aspects of soaring night. Full membership $28. Info kit with sample copy $3.00. SSA, P.O. Box 66071, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

Ultralight Powered Flight DELTA WING TRIKE - Built up, ready to fly. Solo engine. $1395. FREE FLIGHT INC., 7848 Convoy Court, San Diego, CA 92111. (714) 560-0888.

Emergency Parachutes

WASATCH WINGS INC. - Located minutes from Point of the Mountain. Safe, personalized, instruction beginning through mountain flight. Custom harness manufacture and repair. 700 East 12300 South, Draper, Utah 84020, (801) 571-4044.

35 cents per word, $3.00 minimum. (phone numbers - 2 words, P.O. Box -

WANTED: Certifiable advanced air/free night parachute.

Call Gerry Pelant (714) 446-6657.

HANG GLIDER EQUIPMENT COMPANY - For all your hang gliding needs. 3620 Wawona, San Francisco, CA 94116 (415) 992-6020.

International Schools & Dealers

PENNSYLVANIA

PARACHUTES REPACKED - Your parachute aired, inspected and repacked by experienced rigger - SI 5.00 includes return postage. Send U.P.S. to HANG GLIDER EQUIPMENT COMPANY, 3620 Wawona, San Francisco, CA 94116 (415) 992-6020.

FRIGATE AIRCRAFT INC. South Florida's only com· plete Ultralight, Hang Glider Shop. Display room, service, repairs, instruction: Specializing in domestic & foreign exports. 18639 S.W. 107th Ave., lvliami, Florida 33157.

Phone (305) 252-1706.

THE SYSTEK VARIO

I Photos - $10.00 I Deadline, 20th of the month six weeks before the cover date of the I issue in which you want your ad (i.e. March 20, for the May issue).

I Bold face or caps 50q: per word extra. (Does not include first few I words which are automatically caps). Special layouts or tabs $20 per I column inch.

I Payment for first three months required In advance.

I 1 word)

• Selectable Sensilivlly • Audio Threshold AdJusl

• Excellent Ballery Life • Total Weight 12 oz.

• Mounling Brackel Included • Fully Adjustable Audio Sound

• One-Year Warranty • Dealer Inquiries Welcome

$195.00

Please enter my classified ad as follows:

Post Off,ce Box 548 Oak Rrdge. TN 37830

Number of words: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ @ .35 = _ _ _ _ _ __ Section (please circle) Rogallos

Rigid Wings

Schools and Dealers Emergency Chutes

Business Opportunities Publications & Organizations

Ultralight Powered Flight Begin with consecutive issue(s).

19

Miscellaneous issue and run for _ _ __

My check _ _ money order _ _ is enclosed in the amount of

$ _ _ _ _ _ __

**··············· ** KITE TUBING• * ** BRIGHT

"f"

P.O. BOX 66306, LOS ANGELES, CA 90066 / (213) 390,3065

··--------------------------~ JULY1982

ANODIZED

TUBING

SEAMLESS:

~

3/8" x .035 x 12' (2-19 LENGTHS) ....................... $0.61/ft.

1 1/8" x .065 x 12' (2-19 LENGTHS) .................... $1.44/ft. '?""- 1 3/4" x .049" x 12' (2-19 LENGTHS) .................. $1.74/ft. i( "f"2" x .049" x 12' (2-19 LENGTHS) ........................ $1.91/ft . •

""-

Phone Number:

DIP

WHOLESALE CATALOGUE $1.00 REFUNDABLE

LEADING EDGE AIR FOILS INC.~ UIS. 14 'fH ST. '?>, COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, ~ 80904 '?>,

303-U2·4Ut

**************** 49

HOT EASY RISER - 30 hp Chaparcl engine, $2350. or possible trade for current Oex-wing with harness and chute.

Chris McKeage, Box 991408, Steamboat, CO 80499.

KITTY HA WK KITES - Training specialists for ultralights. FAA certified Flight Instructors. Quicksilvers, parts in stock. P.O. Box 340, Nags Head, N.C. Within site of where the Wright Brothers made their first historic flight. 1-800-334-4777.

LONE STAR HANG GLIDERS. Electra Flyer, Sky Sports, Seagull, lvlanta and UFM sales, repair, instruction. major factory 469-9159.

NORTHERN SUN INC. The industry's most experienced rigid wing builders, offers all custom built rigid wings at discount pricvs. Also dealer for all rnajor factory built powered ultra-lights. Our Powered Training Course is designed and taught by pilots experienced in both conventional aircraft and Powered Ultralights. This comprehensive course includes techniques in reading and understanding sectionals, FAR's, micrometcorology, and even float and ski use. Upon completion of course, students receive certification cards. For more details, contact us at: 2277 \Y/.

Country Rd. C., St. Paul (Roseville), MN 55113. (612) 633-3333.

age and handling. Call now 1-800-334-4777. In N.C. call (919) 441-6094. Kitty Hawk Kites.

PATCHES & DECALS - USHGA sew-on emblems 3" dia. Full color - $1. Decals, 31/,'' dia. Inside or outside application. 25¢ each. Include 15¢ for postage and handling with each order. Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

Powered Ultralight Training Course - By Dennis Pagen.

Now available from USHGA. Lessons, Groundschools, tests, FAA Regulations, 8 1/, x 11 workbook format. $13. 55 (incl. postage) P.O. Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

TEE-SHIRTS with USHGA emblem $6.50 including postage and handling. Californians add 6% tax. Men's sizes, S, M, L, XL. BLUE/ORANGE, USHGA, P.O. Ilox 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

TORREY PINES 1979. Text by Don Betts. Photos by Bet-

tina Gray. Pictorial review of hang gliding at Torrey Pines.

40 pages of photos, maps, Oying regulations, and history of the area. Excellent booklet for those who ha,·e only heard of Torrey Pines. Booklet can also be purchased at site. $2.50 each (encl. pstg.). USHGA, P.O. Box 66306-HG, Los Angeles, Calif. 90066.

The rate for classified advertising is 35¢ per word (or group of characters). Minimum charge, $3.00. A fee of $10. is charged for each photograph or logo. Bold face or caps 50¢ per word extra. Underline words to be bold. Special layouts or tabs $20.00 per column inch. AD DEADLINES - All ad copy) instructions 1 changes, additions and cancellations must be received in writing Ph months preceding the CO\'er date, i.e., April 20 for the June issue. Please make checks payable to USHGA: Classified Advertising Dept., HANG GLIDING MAGAZINE, Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

WHEN: Manressa State Beach parking lot SUnday, 5-2-81. CONTACT: Brian O'Kelly, 2300 West Haven, Bakersfield, CA 93304 (805) 832-3987.

TYPE: Wills Wing Harrier 177 #6113. SAIL PATTERN: All white. Six holes in L.E. WHERE AND WHEN: Ultmate Hi, Feb. 22, 1982. CONTACT: Roger Chase (714) 748-1739.

PP106 SOARMASTER- Excellent condition, $500. (301) 661-6262.

FOUND: Harness and chute in Lancaster, CA near Ave. P. CONTACT: HG of CA, (213) 399-5315.

PROPELLERS, new universal design for all engines, all diameters, adjustable pitch, interchangeable blades, find maximum thrust yourself. Power systems new universal construction \'Vhite Eagle, tractor) pusher configurations, adjustable thrust line, double vibrations damping, propeller vibrations free, fits all gliders. 10 H.P. engines. Dealership available, info. pack $2. Kolecki New Aviation Engineering, Box 5078, 16305 Spanga, Sweden.

SKYWORKS California.

Please see ad -

Schools & Dealers -

SPORT FL YING UNLIMITED - Ultralight sales, training and service for QuickSilver, MX and Mirage. Two locations: 2915 S. Logan St., Lansing, MICHIGAN 48910, (517) 882-2468 or 1450 10th St., S., Safety Hbr., FLORIDA 33572, (813) 726-7020.

TRIKES - Sales, service) instruction, glider conversions, test flights, Bennett, Soarmaster, (916) 583-6136.

ULTRASPORT, INC. - Dealers for Eipper, Quicksilver, and Pterodactyl Fledglings. Our only business is power.

USHGA certified. Call or write for further free information. UltraSport, Inc., 12780 Pierce #14, Pacoima) CA 91331. (213) 896-1805.

VOUvlER AIRCRAFT - Established 1925. First to fly three control foot launched glider, first to construct homebuilt amphibian, 1958. First to construct highest performing foot launched glider, 1971. Third to construct powered foot launched glider, 1976. First foot launched glider to fly aloss the English Channel, 1978. Complete plans available. Brochure for all our seven aircraft in· eluding our VJ24W - 10 HP Ultralight, $!0.00. Volmer Aircraft - Box 5222 · G, Glendale, California 91201.

Miscellaneous Bumper Stickers - "HAVE YOU HUGGED YOUR HANG GLIDER TODAY?" White w/blue letters. $1.40 each (includes postage). P.O. Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

LARGE PATCHES - (2 1/8" x 9") for collectors only.

Great for caps, bags and harnesses. $3.00 plus $1.00 post-

50

TYPE: Pterodactyl with Cuyuna 430 reduction drive #111000. LE, yellow, TE, white.

Center, brown. Tips, brown. Rudder, white with brown & black stripes. Canard, brown, yellow and white. CONTACT: LEAF, 331 South 14th St., Colorado Springs, CO 80904 (303) 632-4959.

TYPE: 135 Comet. SAIL: Black LE, crimson green TE. Red top sail, red keel pocket. Red UP left side. WHEN: April 15, 1982 San Ber· nardino area. CONTACT: Laverne DeJan, (714) 796-1658.

TYPE: 209 Raven #4402. SAIL: Center out: Brown center, two white, two orange, white tips. Brown LE. Orange keel pocket. WHEN: El Centro, CA April 26, 1982. CONTACT: Mike Sorgaard (714) 352-2116.

TYPE: Moyes Mega 172. SAIL: Blue and white with lightning bolt. Red bag. WHEN: Satur· day, March 20, 1982. Reward. CONTACT: Russ Gillfer (602) 523-4058.

TYPE: Fledge IIB #1032. WHEN: March 1, 1982 Denver, CO. Glider is incomplete. SAIL: White with dk blue LE, tips and keel panel.

CONTACT: Richard Siberell, 711 55th Des Moines, Iowa 50312 (515) 255-1456.

TYPE: 1982 Super Lancer 200.

WHERE/WHEN: Binghampton, NY 4118182.

CHARACTERISTICS: Wlll not fly as is. No base tube, battens, or washout tubes. One down tube replaced with stock 6061 tubing.

SAIL: Blue and white, orange bag. Stolen by wuffo expected to be sold in southern California. CONTACT: James McLaughlin (607) 771-1583 days collect. $500 reward for arrest and conviction.

TYPE: Black nylon duffie harness bag containing black cocoon harness with red shoulder pads, Flight Designs vario, Thoemen Altimeter, orange F.D. helmet. black leather gloves, blue jackets. WHERE &

TYPE: Comet #UPCMT 165995 Sail: nose to tail - gold, yellow, white. UP Gemini: #UPGl64042.

Nose to tail: Green (blue stripes), yellow. Thief is known to be in Redondo Beach, CA area possibly working for Walker Transportation Co. Large reward. CONTACT: Alesandro Gomez (331)-2-38-21 (Colima, Mexico).

TYPE: Fire Eagle w/Z-drive. SAIL PATTERN: Red, orange, gold, yellow, yellow wired L.E. DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: Infinity lettering and logo faintly visible. Sail repair on inside panel. WHERE AND WHEN: Dec. l 981 Cedar Valley, Utah. CONTACT: Infinity Flight Systems, 898 S. 900 E., SLC., Utah 84102 (801) 359-SOAR. TYPE: Robertson Cocoon Harness, light blue liner, brown outside with Flight Designs parachute, gray bag. Red helmet, Litek vario, round face (black), red bag, Flight Designs altimeter. WHERE AND WHEN: Home Feb. 13, 1982. CONTACT: Jon, Los Gatos, CA (408) 354-3041 or (408) 395-2645.

TYPE: 1979 Seagull 10 Meter. WHERE AND WHEN: Cincinnati, Ohio, Oct. l l, 1981.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: Light blue sail with "Seagull" lettering. Keel and right L.E. plain anodized, all other black. Red bag with thumb snaps. CONTACT: Kermit Kinne, 35 Juergens Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45220 (513) 751-6642.

TYPE: R.D.P. parachutes: #'s 3003, 3078, 3042, 3073, 3035, 3037, 3023. Litek Model C varios: #'s 390, 417, 420, 434, 401, 423, 433, 383, 404, 403, 397,256,287,213,230,243,247,233,249,251, WHERE AND WHEN: Delta Wing, Van Nuys, CA. Sept. 1981. CONTACT: Detective Bob Hanson, Van Nuys police dept. (213) 989-8371 or Delta Wing (213) 787-6600. Reward for information.

TYPE: Olomana #1. SAIL PATTERN: All white.

Blue bird emblem on sail near nose. Orange and gold cover bag. CONTACT: Mikel Dillon, 1111 S. Water, Wichita, KA 67213. (316) 263-1287.

Hang Gliding publishes (free of charge) stolen gliders and equipment. New listings appear at the head of the column in bold. Type up your submission in our format and send to: USHGA, Box 66306, Los Angeles, CA 90066.

HANG GLIDING

WILLIT FORCE EVERYONE BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD? When we introduced the UP COMET two years ago at the Owens Valley Classic:· we thought ,t was a perfec glider for the time Others must have thought so too because everyone has tried to improve on ,t. Finally somebody has improved 11 We have. For 1982's compet,tmn season, we've made a few (a very few) improvements that eep he Come exactly where it's been all the time on the top of the stac We don't need to tell you how many Come ·clones· have been introduced by our competitors in the last two years Most have disappeared as quickly as they were announced Why? Well there 1s one thing that hasn't changed at Ultrahte Products quality. We continually go bac to the drawing board to stay ahead while others go bac to catch up UP COMET, a classic design. As the more than 2,000 pilots who fly one' All UP Comets are HG A certified

·xc

Send 2 00 for complete specs, photos and price list on UP products

·up gliders have won the famed ·xc Classic· 3 years in a row'

UP SPORTS UP SPORTS, P.O. BOX 659

TEMECULA, CA 92390 (714) 676-5652

a

hink about think

When the Rubber Band Breaks?

The Wo rld's Best Parachutes Designed to Open Fas t er at Slow Speeds

Twenty Foot Diamete r ADP for Hang Glider and Pilots under 225 lbs .

Gross Wt. ........................................... $365.00

Leading Edge Air Foils, Inc., is pleased to offe r t eir "Leaf Prone" and "Leaf Supine" Body Harnesses to pilots wh o take theirflying very seriously .

These two Body Harnesses feature: complete body support, fully adjustable shoulder pressure, 6,000 pound test seat belt-type webbing, and are covered with high qu ality Nylo n. They are designed for the ultimate in co mfo rt and minimum aerodynamic drag.

Please specify pilot's height and weight when o rde ring.

{QIADING IDGI AIR fOllS, INC. 331 South 14th Street, Co lorado Spr ings, Co lorado 80904 Phone (303) 632-4959

Twenty.Two Fool Diameter ADP For Pil ots of Hang Gliders or Ultralights under 285 lbs. Gross Wt. Also Proven for Base Jumps ................................. $465.00 Twenty·Eight Foot Diameter ADP for Ultralights up to 400 lbs. Gross Wt. 12' Cable brid le. Harness & Carry Bag. Total Wt. 12 lbs .................................. $595.00

Embury Sky Systems, Inc. 33330 W11tlong Stroot Lake Elalnoro, Collf. 92330 U.S.A.

(714) 678-217 4